A Turtle's Journey Beyond
by Brinatello
Summary: The Turtles, Splinter and Shadow venture out to a haunted estate. Chapter 13 is up! R&R!
1. Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

A Turtle's Journey Beyond  
Created on December 20, 2002  
By Brinatello 

Author's Note: Based on the CD-ROM game, "AMBER: Journey's Beyond." This story will contain some spoilers, but none of which would reveal any crucial evidence to the game itself.

* * *

_Chapter 1: The Journey Begins_

Errors-to:server@bt.com  
From:javaboy@bt.com  
x-from:javaboy@bt.com  
Subj: A Favor...

_Attn: Shadow Jones,_

_Hi, it's me again....I'm going to ask a favor of you in a minute, but I figured I better explain why before I do the actual asking._

_In a nutshell, Roxy's up to her old tricks again. As you know, we've been developing a technology for tracking paranormal activity. Although I haven't been able to tell you much about our new product line, let's just say that the latest stuff goes beyond tracking. Way beyond. We've got some equipment up and running and I've worked with Roxy for long enough to know she'd want to do the early tests herself. Normally that wouldn't bother me...It's just that the stakes are so high this time._

_She's up at that old house she bought, which, as you may have heard, is reputed to be extremely active. She's treating that house like a lab. She has it totally wired with all of our latest equipment. And although we'd never tell Roxy this, we're afraid she's getting in a little over her head. Some of that equipment is still in the form of early prototypes...fragmentation is a real problem area. I made her promise she wouldn't do anything hasty without one of us around. But you know Roxy._

_So, here's the favor. Would you mind driving there and checking up on her? We're asking you because I know that you and Roxy worked together on that dream research. She respects your work. I think she'd probably listen to you._

_Thanks in advance. And one final favor, be really cautious there. It's easy to catch Roxy's enthusiasm. Don't let her talk you into doing anything stupid._

_Regards,_

_Joe_

**********

Donatello stared blankly at the e-mail, his mouth gaping in utter disbelief. This could not be happening. It couldn't! Why of all the worthy employees did they choose her to do it? She had only been working with the company for less than a year and would be the last person chosen to do such a task as this. Her boss, Roxanne, must have admired her skills in computers, science and even philosophy. He believes it's what instantly got her hired.

Shadow was only a high school graduate, very young and very innocent. Getting the job seemed the right thing to do when extra money was needed for new clothes, a new car, stronger independence, and, of course, the start of the college of her choice. It seemed like a simple office job until the day she started approaching her Uncle Don for help. Once he created a joint e-mail to make easier contact, the work became the same way as she relied heavily on his genius mind to conquer the hardships of her given assignments. Months down the line, heads began to turn, eyes began to widen, and soon enough, she was placed in a higher department where Roxanne began to see more and more of her.

The two kept a head to head partnership until the third wheel, the silent turtle, noticed how often she was asked to do several things. The e-mails came faster, appointments were made constantly, and tonight, the biggest favor of all had risen before them. Donatello knew he was partially to blame for getting Shadow into this mess. How to get her out of it was an even bigger problem for him to solve. The first thing to settle was responding to Joe's e-mail in a calm, professional, manner. Shadow could easily say no and risk losing her job. Yet, she could also say yes and risk doing an event that she will later regret in life.

Donatello had to think fast. By now, he and Shadow were aware that getting an e-mail on the weekend or after work hours should never go unanswered. He also knew this request to travel to an unknown place was just asking for trouble. He turned to look over at his food. Even the nuked pizza sitting next to him started to churn his stomach. What was he going to do? What would he tell his brothers?

The truth is what he needed to tell them. Of course, it wasn't going to be easy. He anticipated the announcement as his letter slowly printed out of his aged Hewlett Packard. How would they react to this? Splinter would worry as usual, Leonardo would not be too agreeable, Raphael might like the idea of getting involved with a ghost-tracking quest, and Michaelangelo would enjoy a good adventure, provided nothing bad happens to him.

Donatello heard a beep and a click, followed by the paper silently falling onto the tray. The printing job was complete with only one page. One page full of text that could either change his niece's future at her job, or cease it completely.

His three brothers and sensei looked so calm when he entered the living room quarters. Leonardo played a quiet game of Chess with Splinter, Raphael was the perfect example of a couch potato in front of the television, and Michaelangelo munched happily on his pizza. They were all there. It was now or never.

"Hey, guys." All four turned to his direction. "Um...what's up?"

"Nothing much." Leo answered as he moved his Rook piece into play. He looked up again. "Is everything all right?"

"Um..." Don caught Splinter drop his brow. "No, not really. I've got some news and I'd like your honest opinion on what we should do." One could hear a pin drop as they waited quietly for him to continue. "Okay. You all know about the job Shadow has, right?"

"The ghost-tracking job?" Mike asked. Donatello nodded. "What about it?"

"Well, as you know, I've been keeping track of what's been going on and due to her being such a good worker, I was a little upset to discover this urgent request from one of her co-workers." Don lifted the paper. "His e-mail just arrived tonight."

"An e-mail?" Leo stared with concern. "What is it?"

"It's an electronic letter you get on your computer, but that's not important right now." Mike said. Raphael, having saw the movie _Airplane!_ with the similar joke, was the only one who let out a little snort.

"Cute, Mike." Leo closed his eyes briefly, then turned back to Donatello. "I meant what does this co-worker want?"

"Well, in regard to her flawless performance," Don had to speak to the floor, knowing her performance was only flawless because of him, "it looks as though she'll be taking a little trip."

"Cool! She's got vacation time already?" Mike asked with his mouth half full of pizza.

"Um, no, more like on business." Don sighed before continuing. "Roxanne, Shadow's boss, has had a major breakthrough in the project they've been working on."

"Another one?" Raph droned. "Last time you said she had a breakthrough, it was a false alarm."

"Yes, I know, but this time, it sounds serious." Don gazed to the paper, then back to them. "Shadow joined the team at the point when things were starting to piece together in Roxanne's huge jig-saw puzzle of a task. She's been obsessing over this project for so long, its finally gone to her head." Don looked away, remembering what the newest product looked like in one of Shadow's notes. "Literally." Leonardo looked to the letter in his hand, curious to know what it said but also dreading what this co-worker wanted from Shadow.

"I've got another question for you, Don." Leo's eyes darted up to his face. "All you've told us is Shadow has been working with Roxanne on this project for several months. Why were we never informed of what it's about?"

"Well..." Don tapped a nervous finger on the paper. "The truth of it is, Shadow had to take a sworn oath to keep this particular project under the table from outsiders, family members included. If they knew she was coming to me for help, they'd probably fire her. Yet," Again, Don couldn't look to anyone, "aside from her company, she was afraid if you all knew what the project was about, you'd want her to quit."

"Why? Is she doing something illegal?" Raph was curious to know.

Don frowned. "No! Of course not!"

"Then, is it life-threatening to her?" Leo asked, now standing up from his seat.

"So far, it hasn't been." Don couldn't look to his face when he said that.

"Then, what's the problem with the project?" Mike took another bite of pizza.

"It's not so much the project." Don gestured to the paper. "It's this e-mail that's the problem."

"Which, since the start of this whole discussion, has left us in freakin' suspense!" Raph said with an added growl. "Don, will you just read the damn thing before I come over there and break your arms!"

Don looked down to the floor. "Sorry, I just wanted to prepare you first. Here's what it says..."

The four listened intently as Donatello repeated what he just read earlier. It seemed to go along fine until he came to the part where Joe asked that dreaded favor for Roxanne. After he finished reading, he paused to look up at their faces. Splinter scratched his chin in deep thought while the others had identical faces. Eyes wide and mouths dropped. Michaelangelo spoke up first.

"Ooookay, soooo, is she going to do this?"

"I'm hoping she'll turn it down." Leo puffed out a breath and looked around before gazing back to Donatello with a look of utter confusion. "Why, Don? Why on Earth would they ask her to do this?"

"I don't know, Leo." Don also puffed out a little breath. "I've asked her many times why she took this job to begin with and she never gave me a straight answer. But, now that she has it, she's been given important responsibilities, including this one, to assist her boss. That's why I'm asking for your opinion now."

"It's simple." Raph said with a free hand. "Tell her she can't do it."

"What? And have her risk getting fired?" Don threw the note down to his side. "Where do you think she's been getting all that income from? Who has taken care of our food problem for the past 8 months?" He paused with a look of surprise. "How do you think she bought that brand new Chevy Suburban?"

"What?!" Mike coughed on his soda. "She told me that was a Christmas gift!"

"Yeah, it was a gift," Don rolled his eyes, "to herself."

"Good income or not, I still say she can't do it." Raph stated with firmness. "And that's that."

"And who are you to tell her she can or can't?" Don gave him a look. "You're not her father, Raph--"

"Ha! I bet her father would say the same thing!" He interrupted with an angry laugh. "You asked for our opinion! Did you really think I'd agree to it?"

"Actually...yes." Don responded softly. "I can already tell you she's probably reading this e-mail and is packing her bags as we speak. Roxanne's not just her boss, she's also a good friend and Shadow will go from here to the hereafter just to help her." He dipped his head. "The same goes for me."

"You're going also?" Mike raised an eye ridge. "You're going to expose yourself?"

"Joe wants her to go alone and I can't let her do that." Don stole a side glance to Leonardo. "What do you think?"

"You know how I feel, Don." Leo crossed his arms, letting out a heavy sigh. "Delving into the paranormal world is not something I would expect Shadow to be doing. Yet, she is a young woman and she has to make her own decisions. Her parents can't force her not to go because she's already over 18."

"She _is_ 18, Leo." Raph corrected. "And there's no way she's going."

"But, Raph--"

"Not if I sit on her skinny little ass!"

"Raph." Mike looked away, trying not to smile when the vision of that appeared in his head. "I hate to admit it, but Leo has a point. I don't want her going to some 'extremely active' house, either, but she is of age and we really can't stop her."

"Then, I'm going with her." Raph quickly said.

"Same here." Leo said next. They all looked at Michaelangelo last.

Raph nudged him. "Cop out?"

"Huh? Hey, no way! Wherever she goes, I go!"

"Then it's settled." Leo looked around to all of them. "As a family, we're all in it together."

"Indeed." A raspy voice finally said. All four looked to their ancient master as he sat up and slowly walked over to them. "Since you have all agreed to do this favor, I only ask to accompany you. Shadow has been considered a granddaughter to me, one I do not want to see get hurt in any way."

Don stared at his master's sad, concerned face. "Thank you, Splinter. But, now I've got to go tell her she's going to have some extra tag-alongs."

"Very well, my son." Splinter nodded with a bow.

**********

A few hours later, Shadow slowly climbed down the ladder entrance to be greeted by an empty room. For the first time, she felt nervous entering the lair like this. All the years before, she came down feeling happy, ready to see these mutants she called family and now, those days have ceased when her new job started. The mood changed to a scene right out of a detective show with questions always firing in her direction. "How is the job going?" "When's your next paycheck?" "What do you want Don for now?" These questions seemed to come from the same exact turtle every time she came for a visit!

Pausing at the foot of the ladder, her eyes strained to the dim-lit room, panning around to see if any life forms were currently there. Her appearance was an unannounced one, but so was Joe's e-mail she just received not too long ago. No one told her to stop by, nor did she call to let them know she would be dropping in at such a late time. Were they already in bed? It was only a quarter after 11 but she knew at least one of the night owls were always burning the midnight oil.

"Hello?" She waited a few seconds before Donatello, an all-nighter owl, emerged from his lab with a I-was-expecting-you look. The turtle looked exhausted from the nights he missed sleep. His stomach, from what she could tell, looked a lot smaller from the many times he turned away from eating a decent meal. The last of a noticeable 'stressed out' characteristic was in his speech. It was slow and very unbalanced, almost as if it became a chore for him to talk at all.

"Hello, Shadow, I knew you would..." Don stopped short to notice she was out of breath, her face looked a darker shade of pink and her eyes had a soft glaze to them. "...come. Are you okay?"

"Not really." She dropped her head, eyeing up at him. "Did you read the e-mail?"

"Yeah...to everyone."

"Oh--" Shadow cut herself off, looking behind his shoulder. "How did they take it?"

"Um, as well as can be." Don smiled a little, then quickly frowned again. "What about your parents?"

"We had a huge argument." She sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Dad says if I go, I should pack all of my belongings and move in with her, ghosts or no ghosts. They were pleased I've been employed all this time, but as soon as I said I needed to drive quite a distance to help my boss, they almost hit the roof."

Don sighed. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's weird how parents congratulate you on getting a job, making money, and becoming more independent. But, when it comes down to taking care of responsibilities, such as this, they turn bitter and negative."

"I guess they didn't want me to have a job that required a little traveling." She shrugged with a smirk. "Well, I mean, this is the first time I've been asked to do such a favor. Roxanne just recently bought the house to test all of our new equipment. I'm worried about her, and no matter what Dad says, I need to go check on her."

"I know," Don nodded, "but not alone."

"Huh?" Shadow's brows lifted. "You're going with me?"

"We're all going." Don twitched his head back toward the sleeping quarters. "They're in their rooms packing a few belongings to take with them."

"Oh, my God." Shadow bowed her head lower. "But, what about Roxanne? She'll see you!"

"Shadow?" The two looked over to see Leo emerging from the dark passage. His face also looked tired and worn as if he had already been through a fierce battle. He still lifted his usual greet smile when he saw her standing there. "I thought I heard you come in. Are you okay?"

"Heh, Uncle Don asked the same thing. But to answer your question, no, I guess I'm not." Shadow wiped her eyes again and let out a quiet laugh. "My parents weren't too pleased about this whole thing and they sort of...well, threw me out!" Leonardo exchanged a quick glance to Donatello. "I know this is very sudden of me, but, I have nowhere to stay. Is it all right if I sack out on your couch? It'll be just for tonight."

"Shadow, you can stay over here any time you need to." Leo placed a hand to her shoulder. "We can discuss the plans for your trip to your boss's house and when we'll need to leave."

"Um, actually, I was going to leave as soon as possible." Shadow told him, now fidgeting with a strand of hair. "Tomorrow morning, if not sooner."

"I see." Leo blinked, glancing again to Donatello whom, this time, quickly looked to the ceiling. "Then, I guess we should get the directions from the Internet. The web site called Map Search." Shadow shrugged and nodded silently. "Do you even know where this house is located?"

"Sure. In the dark mountains..." She swallowed heavily, "...of North Carolina."


	2. Chapter 2: Road to Nowhere

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 2: Road to Nowhere_

The early morning hours soon arrived, too soon for anyone's liking. While some wanted to sleep in a little or enjoy a good romp of exercise, the time had come to drive out to a place none of them knew exactly what to expect. Although Shadow used Saturdays as a well-deserved rest from work, her uncles and grandfather treated it like any other day. The routines remained on a daily basis, consisting of hefty martial arts training and keeping their home dust-bunny free. When things like that are briefly set aside, the four turtles knew it would be worth their while to attend this sudden, and very suspicious, weekend getaway.

Within her brand new Chevy Suburban, the young girl sat at the wheel with Donatello, holding a Map Search print-out, in the passenger seat. The two exchanged silent glances, both unsure of what they were getting themselves, and the others in the back seat, into at Roxanne's humbly abode. A few minutes or so into the drive, Shadow pulled off the road to fill the tank at a local gas station. She peered in the window to look at the four turtles and rat sitting there.

"Hello." She waved. "Are you all awake back there?" They did nothing except stare right back at her. Maybe they didn't hear her through the glass. She smiled a little, but their silence told her a deep tension was growing inside, one that was as strong as ten heavy weight champions combined. She hoped it was just a mental strain of a rude awakening and nothing else. Starbucks. Stop in the famous coffee store, buy them each a huge cup of Java, and all will be in a loving, harmonious frame of mind!

_Later..._

"I need sugar." Mike made a sour face as he lifted the lid off his cup.

"Like a hole in the head." Raph nudged his shoulder from behind his chair. "You don't need sugar, Mr. Already Hyper."

"Yeah, I do. This is bitter! Here, taste it..." Mike gave his cup to Raphael who also made a sour face. "See, told ya! Hey, Shadow my love, do you got anymore--" Four packets flew back from the front, two smacking him square in the face and the other two going in Leonardo's direction. "Hey!"

Raph grinned broadly. "Heh, heh, heh, good shot, kid."

"What?" Shadow blinked and looked in her rear-view mirror to the steamed turtle. "Did you get them, Uncle Mike?"

"He got them all right," Leo lifted the sugar packets from his lap, "and so did I."

The coffee had done its job of waking everyone up, but now it also made them recollect of where they were going to and why. Shadow could see this trip had, once again, put a slight damper on the mood. Whatever the reason for traveling was, it caused her parents enough times to keep calling on her cell phone and after every time, someone else would pick it up and answer it.

"Vinnie's Pizza? If it's not there in thirty minutes, it's free! Oh, hi, April for the fourth time." Shadow rolled her eyes as Mike handled the call this time. "Yeah, she's still alive or else the Chev would've hurdled off a cliff and we'd all be dead. I-- huh? No, that was a joke."

"Uncle Mike?" Shadow looked up to him in the rear-view mirror. "Just ask her what my last phone bill was and she'll hang up."

"Right, uh-huh..." Mike looked around, noting the others watching him. "So, tell me, how much was Shadow's last cell phone bill? Mm-hmm. Yeah, the most recent one...two hundred bucks!!!"

"Bye, Mom!" Shadow yelled out, glancing to Donatello. "That makes 4 times she's called since we left New York."

"She's just worried about you." He told her earnestly.

"Yeah, okay, mm-hmm, I'll be sure to tell her. Yeah, uh-huh, uh-uh--bye!" Mike beeped the 'end' button and placed the phone back in the little cup holder in the center. "April says she loves you and hopes you're okay."

"Great, and I hope she knows that the more she talks, the higher my bills get."

"But two hundred bucks, I mean that's a little high for a cell phone bill." Mike said with shame in his voice.

Shadow sighed. "Pleeeeease, if you don't mind, I'd rather not go there."

"Then, let's change the subject and discuss where we are going." Leo leaned forward behind her chair. "Other than hiding ourselves while in Roxanne's presence, is there anything else we need to be cautious of?"

"Um...sort of." Shadow answered, quickly looking away from him and onto the open road. She didn't answer for a moment, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't freak them out. Maybe if she stayed quiet, it wouldn't matter to them.

"Like what?" Leo asked. Damn, maybe not.

"Well, like the reason why we're going there."

"To check up on your friend." Mike said. "Right?"

"Right." Her eyes panned to him. "But, why do I have to check up on her?"

"Because you were asked?" Raph suggested next.

"No, I mean, why do I have to check on her, meaning, it sounds as if she's in some kind of distress. Joe's e-mail worried me, that's all, and I guess what we should be cautious of is we'll be expecting some rather unusual events going on at her house."

"But nothing is going to hurt us while we're there, right?" Mike asked.

"I won't say no, but I'm not going to say yes, either." Shadow looked to Michaelangelo's expression before continuing. "The company I'm with is ideal for making paranormal equipment, and the only way to test it out is to place it in a house with ghostly activity, good or...um, bad."

"In other words, we're in for some big surprises." Raph said with a widening smile.

Shadow nodded. "We're going to a house with a reputation of unusual occurrences. Anything out of the norm can happen to us."

"Cool!" Raph whistled out.

Leo gave him a look. "Your tune sure quickly changed."

"So, what if it did, Mr. Leeeeeoder?" Raph returned the same look with the grin still there. "Now, that I know we'll be dealing with good _or_ bad ghostly activity, I'm starting to like the idea of a challenge!"

"Bad ghostly activity? Okay, let me out." Mike pointed to the side of the road. "I'll hitchhike home--"

"Wha--why?" Shadow flipped her head to him. "Wait a minute, you're bailing out on me already?"

"You said we were going to check on your friend and that's it!" Mike's voice started to squeak a little. "You said nothing about us going up against evil spirits--"

"Well, I...I..." Shadow rolled her eyes a little, "um...er, yeah, I know...but before we left, I _did_ say it'd be a task that will keep us on our toes. I didn't want to flat-out tell you we're going to a house full of ghosts! That would freak you out."

"Oh, and hearing about you joining a company that makes paranormal equipment didn't have the same effect." Raph stated sarcastically, making her shrink down in her seat. "Unless you'd like to share your reasons with us now."

"Hey, did you know this vehicle comes with a DVD Player? Can't beat that!" Shadow shrugged with a laugh yet no one joined in with her. "Look, I'm sorry I never told you all why I joined this company. I assumed you wouldn't care what job I chose as long as I made money."

"Shadow, the only thing we care about is you." Leo said, his eyes locking with hers. "As long as you work within a safe and trusting environment, we would support whatever job you choose."

"I know, but, I wasn't even sure if safe and trust were two things I would be getting with this place." Shadow looked over to Donatello. "I mean, it started out as simple office work, easy stuff anyone can do. But as I started to work with Roxanne more, she began to confide in me, showing me sketches of her newest project in the works. Whatever happened to her at this house, please be assured that I'm very grateful for you all coming along with me."

"Yeah, but I don't want to run into any hostile haunts!" Mike whined.

"Oh, what are you, a turtle, or a mouse?" Raph asked, looking to his brother with repel.

Mike twitched his beak. "Got any cheese?"

"Oh, don't be silly!" Shadow groaned and gave a harsh glare in her rear view mirror. "What about all the times you went on those weird and wild adventures? All those heroic deeds you told me through bedtime stories that would put Grimm Fairy Tales to shame?" Shadow looked to him again, more softly this time. "Uncle Mike, I was five years old when I called you one of the bravest turtles in the world, and coming from a child at that age, it holds a lot of truth!"

"Hey, I can be brave, and I was back then, too!" Mike said, suddenly getting his courage up. In his voice, at least. Raphael held back a laugh. "As for bailing out, it was just a suggestion that we shouldn't get involved with something that would be considered...uh..." He looked right at Leonardo and uttered, "dangerous."

"And that's one reason why I was asking what we should be cautious of," Leo looked to Shadow again, "incase we run into someone or something that would put any of our lives in danger." A throat cleared in the back seat. Shadow and the turtles looked back to Splinter who now perked up into the conversation.

"While we are discussing the events we will be facing, allow me to give you all some very strong advice. The spirits of the underworld are very keen on negative energy, so much in fact that it could cause a great disturbance while we are in their presence. It would be best, and also wise, to remain as positive as can be. This includes the usage of your language, attitude, weaponry, and above all, your intellectual being."

"Hmph! Why should that make a difference, sensei?" Raph groaned, assuming Splinter's speech was pointed in his direction. "If a spirit is evil, it's going to do evil things no matter how sugary-sweet you act to it."

"I don't think Roxy would buy a house that's demon-infested, Uncle Raph." Shadow glanced to him. "But, I see Grandpa's point. The spirits we'll be dealing with are very benign, but at the same time, confused of their present state. If we keep our thoughts at a normal, positive state, they should react to us as mere guests in their home and not try to do something irrational...such as throw a butcher knife at us, for example."

"So, now that we've gone over what to expect, what is your exact order of business?" Leo, yet again, asked a honey of a question. Even Donatello was waiting for an answer when he caught her face crinkle in deep thought.

"Simple." Shadow said, though she knew it wasn't going to be. "I'll go over to the house, check the equipment, see if Roxy needs help with anything, then go stay at a hotel before we drive home again." Before Leonardo could ask another question, she darted her eyes over to Donatello. "Okay, we're reaching the North Carolina state line, what exit do I take?"

"Ummm." Don unfolded the print-out sheet, flipping it right side up with shaky hands. "You've got two more exits after that one we just passed. We should stop in a town and fill up the gas tank."

"Looks like we'll need food more than gas." Shadow took a strong note to his hands. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just haven't eaten in over 12 hours," He heard her gasp, "no, it's okay. I've kind of lost my appetite."

"I'll turn off at the next exit instead."

Shadow ignored his protest and did as she said. It wasn't okay that certain passengers were becoming ill due to lack of food. She knew this wasn't the first time he acted this way around meal times. The overdo assignments that made upper management cram memos down her throat also made Donatello spend many sleepless nights with stacks of paperwork. The figures, numbers, and percentages, all of which drove both of them on the brink of insanity, is what caused him to skip breakfast, lunch, dinner or all of the above. Shadow didn't consider herself much of an employee since Donatello was doing 90% of the workload and wasn't even getting a single paycheck out of it.

Then, there was the worry of his, his brother's, and Splinter's exposure that added to the ever-increasing stress level. Less than a year into the company and after all that time, this was her first assignment ever to go on the road. She herself has asked why the company has given her this favor. Other workers closer to the house could have gone. However, now that she had a much closer relationship with her boss, she felt destined to do it, with or without the turtles and Splinter there.

_I hope we get there soon. Roxy had better be okay!_

She caught Splinter still watching her as if he knew what she was thinking. The changing of the subject meant she was very unsure if she should share what they're about to expect. They'd find out soon enough.

The skies started to turn a darker blue when the SUV hit the city of Raleigh. Night time was soon upon them and, according to Raphael, the pit stop wouldn't have been as long if a female wasn't along for the ride. Shadow had her reasons of needing a good hour's rest before resuming the agonizing drive.

"You got us lost, kid. Admit it." Raph told her flatly as she pouted in the driver's seat.

Within the five-hour drive, the SUV started to bounce and sway more uncomfortably than before. The directions stayed true but the black pavement eventually turned into a winding, off-road dirt path. At one point during the drive, the heavens opened a down-pour and Shadow had to turn on the windshield wipers. She had driven in bad weather before, but this time, it made her nervous when she was in an area unfamiliar to her.

"Are we on the right road?" Don asked while eyeing the directions in his lap.

"You tell me, navigator." Shadow squinted through the cellophane-like windshield. "We're in the town of Summeria. I turned off at the sign marked South Gate Drive so we must be on the right road." As the SUV winded a sharp turn, they noticed a beautiful lake to the right side of the road.

"The house is supposed to be located beyond a lake. There it is." Don pointed out to the right side. "If that's the same lake, then we must be getting close." Shadow looked to it briefly before her eyes met a glowing white figure standing in the middle of the road. "Shadow, look out--"

"Whoa!" Shadow screamed and swerved off the road, heading for a much better view of that beautiful lake. The vehicle soared high over the small grass bank, crashing heavily into the water and disrupting a series of ripples upon the surface. "What the hell was that?" Shadow looked behind her, seeing the figure had vanished. Attempting to rev it in reverse, the tires only rolled in a pit of mud. "The tires are stuck!"

"Oh, great!" Don turned to unlock the door, finding the button not working. "Can't get the door unlocked. Try your window!" Shadow turned to push the button to open her window, also not getting any results. "Damn, I knew it! It's all the power locks! The water must have damaged the wiring underneath."

"Ugggh! I don't want to die like this!" Mike started to punch at the window next. "Help!"

"Screw power locks. Forgive me for doing this Shadow, but..." Raph climbed to the trunk area and, with a powerful kick, broke through the glass of the door. "This way!" He bellowed while grabbing Splinter and pushing him out the new exit. "There's broken glass so be careful!"

"Ahhh! My new car! Nooo!" Shadow screamed when the water started creeping up her ankles. "The carpet's getting all soaked!"

"That's not the only thing that'll be soaked. Come on..." Don unbuckled his seat belt and went to grab her arm but she pulled away, staying put. "What are you doing? We gotta get out of here!"

"I don't want to leave my car!" She wailed. "I'll just have to go down with it--"

"Oh, stop playing captain of your ship! There's no way I'm going to let you stay here and drown!" Don grabbed for her again and this time, was able to drag her with him toward the back seat. Shadow swung her backpack purse around her shoulder, moaning along the way.

"But, what about my car--"

"What about our lives?!" Don shouted as he threw items aside to make a clear path to the trunk. Pausing near the edge, they noticed Michaelangelo grabbing as much of their stuff as he could. "Mikey, what are you doing?"

"Is this a trick question or something?" Mike looked up to him wide-eyed. "Saving our stuff, of course!"

Don groaned and rolled his eyes. "Mike, there's far more important things to save than just stuff!"

"Like what?" He actually looked confused.

"My car!" Shadow yelped.

Don looked to her and Michaelangelo with disgust. "No! People are a first priority!"

"All right, fine! I'll just get my backpack!" Mike swung a large bag around his shell before hopping off the trunk and into the lake. "Aaaaieeee! Oh, man! This lake is freezing! I'll probably lose function to some parts of my body that I'd prefer to keep working!"

"Oh, brother." Don noticed Shadow trying to sleek past him toward the front but stopped her. "I don't think so, missy. The only direction you're going is that way!" A light push sent her forward and closer to the trunk's edge.

"Nooo!" Shadow looked down to the water. "I don't want to get wet!"

"I'll carry you, then." Mike grunted as he lifted the rest of her body into his arms. "That way, one of us will still be able to have children later on in life--"

"Mike!" Don bellowed. "Would you just go already?"

"I can't believe this is happening..." Shadow felt Michaelangelo's body slump a little lower from the added bulk of her weight and backpack. In a quick haste, he began to wade to the shoreline, ignoring the cold water as it continued to bite at his lower half. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. With the weight of her body, the weight of their stuff, and the numbness of the frigid water, he could feel he was starting to weaken in strength.

"It's not too far." Mike assured her, and his own self. "We'll be out of this ice-cold torture in no time."

Splinter pulled himself out of the dark waters and collapsed onto the grass bank. Although clad in fur from head to toe, the wind began to chill his half-soaked clothes and body. Leonardo was at his side within minutes, attempting to keep him warm with an arm wrapped around his shoulder.

"Are you all right, master?"

Splinter nodded miserably. "Yes, Leonardo. Remind me to thank Raphael later."

"For saving your life?"

"No. For having such a spirit so strong and..." A grin lifted, "...persistent."

"Come on, Don! We're almost there!" Raph shouted like a drill sergeant ordering his soldiers to hustle through a water exercise with no questions asked. By then, it was Donatello's slow but desperate turn to start wading away from the trunk and on towards the grass bank. "Yo, Boy Genius! You're just now leavin' the trunk? Get those legs hopping! Come on!" Donatello gritted his teeth and closed his eyes with a silent, venomous anger swelling on the inside.

"Raph, when I open my eyes, I'd better not see you..."

With pins and needles for feet, Michaelangelo staggered out of the water and made his way over to Leonardo and Splinter whom gladly welcomed more warmth. Raphael reached the shore next with Donatello inches behind, still giving him evil looks. Although Shadow was out, completely dry and safe, she protested for one of them to go back and rescue her poor drowning vehicle.

"You know, you're starting to sound like Mikey?" Raph said, thumbing over to his panting brother. "Just sit and relax, kid--"

"Relax? How can I relax when my beloved car is sinking?!" Shadow yelled up to him with tears in her eyes. "I've only made two payments on it!"

The six sat on the grass bank and stared out at the lake, sighing heavily. Michaelangelo looked like he was going to faint at the sight of her gorgeous brand new SUV sinking lower and lower into the depths of the lake. He glanced down to the bag he managed to save and suddenly felt guilty he couldn't save her vehicle.

"What do we do, Leo? We don't have a car!"

"I know." Leo turned to him. "It looks like we're stuck here for the moment."

"Oh, great!" Raph whipped his head around to stare at the wilderness. "Where the hell is here?"

"That does it. I'm calling roadside assistance." Shadow dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. While explaining she was a member of the Triple A Club, three words of dread flashed across her phone screen. "Oh, no! Oh, please, you can't do this to me!"

"What? What's wrong?" Don started to rise but paused when Shadow raised a hand. She could see dread filling the other's faces and scooted over to him instead. Don took the phone and stared down at it for a good five seconds. No wonder she didn't want to say it out loud. "Ut, oh. Looks like we won't be able to call anyone on this thing. It's--"

"Out of service, right?" Leo said promptly.

Don clicked his mouth. "Bingo."

"What?!" Mike felt a chill go down his spine. "How is that possible? And how did you know that without looking, Leo?"

"He's psychic." Raph nudged him.

"No, I'm serious!" Mike rolled his eyes, then quickly turned to Shadow. "Oh, wait. You didn't pay your outrageous phone bill, did you?"

"That's not why. We're beyond city limits, Mike." Leo told him, noting Donatello was about to say the same thing. "The trees are blocking the phone's signals."

"Damn trees." Raph looked to them evilly. "Got any other ideas, kid?"

"Yeah, the direct approach." Before he could ask, Shadow was back on her feet and climbing up the bank to the dirt road. "I'm gonna head back to the main road and try to flag someone down." She paused, thinking she might flag some crazy hick boys, and grabbed Michaelangelo's arm. "Come with me."

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening..." Mike chanted to himself as he ran down the dirt road alongside of her. A few minutes had passed. Something didn't seem right, or even feel right when they noticed they had been jogging for a good length of time. Shadow knew it couldn't have been that long of a drive from the main road. Reaching a sign, Mike stopped to read it, eyebrows dropping in question. "Um, Shadow? Did you say we're on South Gate Drive?"

"Yeah, why?" Shadow stopped and turned to match his face as he stared at the sign which now read Road to Nowhere. "Oh, my God. That's not what it said when I first turned in!"

"Where did you turn in?" Mike suddenly realized there was no other roads around. "Where's the main road?" The two ran past the sign and looked all over for the main road, only coming in contact with more wilderness. Shadow was determined to find the road and kept running, now having Mike in tow. As they kept running, a familiar scene came into the view. "Now, where are we?"

"Back where we started." Shadow moaned, glancing to Michaelangelo whom looked extremely confused.

They circled around back at the lake. The SUV's entire front end had already sunk down with just the headlights sticking out by the time they reached the embankment. Both frowned when they caught the three turtles and Splinter sitting by a lamp post and boathouse, faces all looking sullen.

"Oh, no." Shadow breathed out, feeling the tears come back to her eyes. "Oh, no no no no...."

"I'm sorry, Shadow." Leo sighed. "We couldn't get to it--"

"NO!!!" Shadow rushed to the water, tumbling over a broken plank by the boathouse. "Not my car!"

"Hey!" Mike ran after her and dropped down to help her up. "Honey, I know how you feel, I know you loved that car, but right now, we've got bigger problems...such as getting out of here." Upon the lake's surface, the water began to ripple and from it rose a hydrogenated figure surrounded in an eerie, orange glow. The light started to spin around the figure and the sound of a child giggling reached their ears.

"Whoa." Mike went to touch it but as quickly as it came, the figure disappeared and the glow died down in the rippling waters. "Please, tell me you all saw and heard that?" He turned around to see his brothers and sensei with their mouths hung open.

"We all saw it." Shadow stood up and hugged her shoulders from the sudden chill. "I don't know what it was but I'm sure there's more than meets the eye."

"Here." Don approached from behind and wrapped her coat around her. "It's a little damp but it should keep you warm."

"Thanks." Shadow turned to notice them holding all their backpacks on their shoulders. "So, you did manage to get your belongings?"

"Yeah." Don nodded. "Actually, while you and Mikey were gone, Leo and I grabbed everything from the trunk before it..." He heard her sigh heavily. "Sorry. We'd need a tow truck to get it out and I doubt there's one for miles."

"I doubt there's anything for miles." Raph looked to the surrounding trees again, not liking their closeness at all. He loved nature but not when it seemed to have something within their branches, something foreboding and dangerous. "I guess the best thing to do is look around the area."

"Good idea." Shadow agreed. In a slow turn behind the lamp post, she noticed a cement path leading through small pine trees up to a clearing. "I'm following this trail. It probably leads to the house." Michaelangelo was the last to follow after staring long and hard at the lake. More than meets the eye all right. He was curious to know where the strange water figure and giggling came from. He'd be back at the lake again. That he could count on.

The group took the winding path up toward what they could see a large house on the style of a bed and breakfast hotel. The rain may have cleared away but the scattered clouds lingered around the dark blue skies. Only out in the country you can see for miles upon miles of empty space in the heavens. The city usually covered that beauty from the watchful eyes. That was one reason why the four adolescent turtles loved to go up on rooftops most of the time. Not just to watch the streets below but to catch a wonderful glimpse of the skies above.

Puffing out a smoke breath, each paused at the top of the hill and stared at the house. The passing winds tossed around Shadow's bangs, Splinter's fur and the turtle's bandana strands behind them. Michaelangelo was the first to break the silence.

"Is this the place?"

"Aw, man." Raph complained. "I wanted to see how long we'd stand here and be quiet!"

"Yes, this is it, Uncle Mike." Shadow answered, smirking a little to what Raphael said. "I recognize it from the photos I was shown. 16 South Gate Drive." The five all turned to her as she continued to stare. "This is Roxy's house."


	3. Chapter 3: Anyone Home?

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

A.N: Hello! I apologize for the long wait. As the chapters get longer, there's more to spell check and look for grammar errors, not to mention fanfiction.net was having upload file problems and I got strep throat! Bleh. I really appreciate all the feedback and I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am writing it! By the way, I figured out how to change certain text to Italic, but other features won't work such as strikethrough words and special fonts (the text from the dream journal is supposed to look like cursive writing!). Maybe that's something fanfiction.net will fix as they improve their web site. Oh, well. Anyway, enough chatter. On with the story!

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_Chapter 3: Anyone Home?_

The cement path was a long and twisty one as the six traveled up to the house in a slow, moving pace. The top of the hill gave them a wonderful overlook of the surrounding wilderness as well as a better view of the exterior of the house. From the rooftops high above to the little garden patches far below, it was a monumental sight to see, leaving each of them slightly breathless.

"Wow, a country estate. The architecture is gorgeous." Don stared upward in awe. "The paneling on the door frames, the woodwork on the windows, and the red brick walls tells me this house has to be from the 19th or early 20th century."

"Would you stop it already!" Raph smacked the back of his head.

Don recoiled with a frown. "Stop what? What'd I say?"

"Enough to piss me off!"

"Well, excuse me!"

"Enough, the two of you!" Shadow scolded, feeling like a mother even though she was the youngest out of all of them. "Roxanne thinks I came alone, so remember, keep the noise level down, okay?" Leonardo felt a nudge on his shoulder and gave a side glance to her. "Try to keep them in control, if you can."

"That's if." He responded dully.

Turning their attention back to the path, they noticed it divided in two directions. One path continued to the front end of the house while the other path made a sharp right to the east end of the house. Leonardo suddenly thought of Robert Frost's poem, _The Road Not Taken_ as he and the others looked both ways.

Mike placed his hands to his hips. "Which way? Left or right?"

"We could take the front entrance," Shadow pointed, "but then, Roxanne would see you guys."

"Hmm." Don started to walk farther down the right path to get a good look around the corner of the house. "I can see a patio and a back door over here. We could go this way while you go meet up with Roxanne."

"All right, but wait for me to come to you." Shadow warned, knowing how great they were to agree to something and then do the exact opposite. For as long as she had known her uncles, it was their sensei whom always gave them orders and no one else. If only she could, she'd bet big money they weren't going to listen to her.

"Be careful." Mike tapped her shoulder, then suddenly clutched it. "Oh, and see if you can get some food. I'm starving!"

Shadow cocked her head to the side. "How am I going to do that? If Roxy sees me carrying a large amount of food outside, she'll think I'm giving a hand-out to some poor, begging forest creatures." A smile lifted. "Oh, wait, I'd be doing that, anyway-- "

"Hey!" Mike went to give her rear a love tap, but she quickly darted away behind a large tree planted in the center of the twin path. "Oooh, your butt's gonna be begging for mercy, little miss! You don't call me a poor, begging forest creature and get away with it--"

"Hehehe, I call it like I see it!" Shadow covered her mouth to hide the giggles. Michaelangelo stopped to pretend as if he had given up the chase, watching her slowly emerge from behind the tree. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, you know that was too easy--eeeee!" He started to chase her again. Shadow jumped behind another barrier, one named Leonardo, and giggled like a child. "Noooo, hehehe!"

"Michaelangelo!" Splinter hissed and the turtle quickly paused.

"Shadooooow." Leo turned to her in shame. "Maybe I should try to keep you _and_ Mikey in control, if I can."

"Yeah, enough, the two of yous!" It was Raph's turn to scold, yet he happened to have a smile on his face as he said it.

Shadow waved with a smirk. "Okay, okay, I'm going now, and I'll see what I can do for food."

"Fine, but until then," Mike showed her his hand, "you'd better watch your back...side!"

The rest continued down the right fork until they reached the small patio with some potted plants and lawn furniture. It looked like a nice little spot for enjoying a sunny afternoon with a good book or to marvel at the serene view of the forest in the distance. Once they reached the back door, Donatello was the first to detect a faint beeping sound coming from it. The others watched as he approached to examine an object stuck to the door knob. Not only did it beep, it also flashed and spun around like some child's toy. Peering closer, Donatello found a little red button and pressed it. _*click*_ The beeping stopped, the clamp lifted off the knob, and the young turtle was now staring at a new, and very simple-looking, gadget.

"Found something, bro?" Mike asked as he walked up to him.

"It's something all right." Don turned it over and over with fascination. "I know what it is, too."

"Then, tell us, oh, One-Who-Knows-All." Raph said sarcastically.

Don gave him a look before continuing. "Okay, well, back when the Stonetape Theory was a way to--"

"Wait," Mike interrupted, "the what theory?"

"Ahem!" Don paused and started again. "The Stonetape Theory was an early method scientists used to gather audio from a spirit of that particular area." The four looked to each other as he lifted up the object. "Over time, technology improved, and devices such as this were created to pick up their tonal residue."

"Tonal residue?" Raph squinted as if he ate a lemon.

"Yep." Don nodded. "I guess this little gadget was left on the door to..." He glanced over to it, "...detect a ghostly presence."

"Ooookay." Mike calmly took a huge step back away from the door. "Let's change the subject, shall we? My, what lovely plants these are!"

"We're not even in the house and already Don's starting with his smart-talking attitude." Raph whispered to Michaelangelo who agreed.

Continuing forward on the main cement path, Shadow reached the steps to the front porch. To the west, she could see a two-car garage and the dirt road they would have stayed on if her poor Suburban didn't _submerge_ in the lake. Also to the left of the house was a wide patch of more pine trees and another clearing. She could see that, according to the adventurous turtles, an exploration was waiting for both inside the house and outside among the spooky wilderness.

"Well, here goes nothing." Sighing, she turned to climb the steps to the porch and knock on the stained glass door. "Hello? Roxy? Are you home?" Shadow then turned to look in the mailbox on the right, finding an unopened package from her company, Bio-Psi Technologies. She felt strange opening up other's people mail but figured it might be something of importance. A letter from Joe was the first thing she found and read quietly:

_Hi, Roxy. Enclosed is the new oscillator you asked for. We've adjusted the input per your instructions. The folks in the lab thought it was an interesting idea to put up the range a bit while they were at it: You'll have to let us know how it works out._

_Anyway, it should fit right into the unit just like the last one. If you have any problems with it, give me a call. (Hell, call me after your first trial no matter what; I'm dying to know how it goes!)_

_Regards,_

_Joe_

Beneath the letter in black Styrofoam was a small, ribbed, cylinder-shaped object. Shadow picked it up and stared at it. "Hmm, her old oscillator must have stopped working. Better hold on to it." She placed it in her pocket and tried the door knob next, finding it unlocked. The door swung open with ease, revealing to her a dark, unwelcome hallway. Upon entering, she plunged into a very dark room, save for a red power light coming from the second floor landing.

"Hello?" Shadow repeated again, getting no answer. It was pitch black and very quiet. "There's gotta be a light switch somewhere." Her fingers began to brush along the wall, running over a double switch flipped up. "The lights were on before. The main power source must have blown a fuse. Great."

"I'm getting bored, not to mention I feel kinda useless just sitting here." Mike twiddled his thumbs as he sat on one of the patio chairs.

"It wouldn't be the first time you felt that way." Raph grinned, but in secrecy, also felt useless. He looked to Leonardo and thumbed up at the door. "Why don't we just go in? It'll be from the back. No one will see us."

"We could, but," Leo looked up to the door, "we already promised Shadow we'd wait out here."

"Yeah, but as I recall, we didn't say anything to her." Mike started to sit up. "So, technically, we didn't promise we would stay out here!"

"Still," Leo crossed his arms, "that doesn't make it right of us to go against her wishes."

"So, it's better we stay out here, be bored out of our skulls, or go inside to do some sneaking around?" Raph waited for an answer. Leonardo only shook his head, not wanting to agree to this. Splinter was giving the same gesture. "Hey, if all five of us can hide from people in April's dinky little apartment, I'm sure we can get away with it in a huge-ass house!"

"Fine, Raph, you've made a point, but we should make it a mutual agreement. Don?" Leo needed help from the silent turtle. "What do you think we should do?" Donatello pulled back from looking in the side window, blinking in deep thought. "Come on, it's not that hard to give an answer."

"No, that's not it." He looked in the window again. "I don't think anyone's home. There's no lights on."

"What?" Leo walked up to him, leaned over the plants, and peered inside. Although the window's glass was made up of bubbly and thick square tiles, he could plainly see the room inside was both dark and empty. "You're right. That's odd."

"Oh, and you want my vote, Leo?" Don lifted a brow. "I think we should go in, not because we're bored or feel useless," He started to climb the steps to the back door, glancing to Leonardo one more time, "we should go in and make sure Shadow's okay."

"Then, it's unanimous." Leo waved a hand for the others to follow behind him and Donatello. "Let's go."

Like Shadow, they were also greeted by total darkness. With their trained night vision, they easily shuffled through the first room, which they quickly discovered was the kitchen, and past through a squeaky swinging door.

"What was that?" Shadow whispered. "Who's there?"

"Shadow?" Don called out from somewhere. "Where are you?"

"Hello?" Shadow's heart began to thud faster as she turned from the main hallway into the room on the right, slamming her hip into something rather hard. "Ow!" Cursing to herself, she slowly walked through an entryway on the left. This room appeared dark like all the rest, but the glistening crystals from a chandelier told her she had entered the dining room. Shadow tried to be careful, but again, her poor self slammed into another hard object. Thinking it was the dining table, she reached out for it, coming in contact with arms reaching for her. "Aaaah!"

"Whoa! It's okay! It's us!" Don said as he grabbed both her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just wouldn't make a good burglar." She coughed out a little and rubbed her side. "What are you doing in here? I thought I told you guys to wait for me outside." Her gaze dropped a little. "No, I _know_ I told you guys to wait for me!"

"Mike felt useless waitin' outside." Raph said from somewhere within their dark mass. "Can't have my bro feelin' that way."

"We're sorry we didn't wait." Don could see, even in the dark, her face looked upset. "We just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh." Shadow nodded, and suddenly, the angry feeling of being disobeyed subsided. "Well, unless Roxy went to bed early, it seems as though there's no one home. Much as you guys are used to the dark, I need the light to find my way around in here. Don't want to injure myself at every turn I make."

"There should be a main power switch in the house somewhere." Don told her softly. "Did Roxanne tell you where it is?"

"Yeah, but I need to get back to the main hallway. Follow me." They each linked hands and headed back toward the hallway. Shadow recognized where she was when she saw the stained glass door frame and the red light near the stairs. "Okay, there's the door I came in. The back door must have led you guys into the kitchen. I vaguely remember the floor plan Roxanne showed me."

"What's in here?" Mike wandered off into a room on the left, banging into a large object with a heavy thud. "Ow! Jeez, who put a sofa in here?!"

"Someone who likes furniture?" Raph asked, biting his lip.

"Be careful, guys. Don't wander off too far. I'm going upstairs to look for the main switch." Shadow started to walk forward to the staircase and the red light, glad to see that there was some light in their dark nightmare. Leonardo followed inches behind and saw her pause abruptly.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

"Nothing." She whispered back. "Roxy said the switch was located in the room she made into her office. I was going to look upstairs for it, but," Leonardo suddenly felt her latch onto his arm, "I don't want to go alone!"

"Ah." Leo nodded and tapped her arm. "Don't worry. I was going up with you, anyway."

The two crept up the stairs while the others waited on the first floor, bumping into objects or just deciding to stay put. Donatello noticed them going up and followed behind with eager thoughts of finding more gadgets. At the top of the stairs, they found themselves looking at a few rooms, two of which on the left-hand side had their doors closed. Leonardo crossed the landing and opened the first door on the far left, peering inside with a squint.

"What's in there?" Shadow asked, feeling safer when she stood under the red light.

"Bathroom." Leo stepped over to the door on the right of the bathroom, twisting the knob. A sudden surge of energy quickly went through his hand and up his arm, making him gasp and pull away. It felt as though he put his finger between the prongs of an electrical plug, getting a major zap attack.

Shadow stepped forward in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Leo looked to his hand, watching it shake like a leaf. "This door's locked."

"Maybe for a good reason." Don said as he walked into an open room next to the locked door. "Hey, I think this is Roxanne's office." Though in the dark, he could see outlined forms of computer equipment and modern machines all around. On the far wall, he spied another glowing red light with a large switch directly below it. The switch was up, indicating all power was shut off. "Huh? Hmm." Reaching over, he threw the switch down, and, in a flash, the entire house became completely illuminated. The machines began to hum to life and every dark corner was now greeted by the new light. "Found the power!"

"So, I noticed." Shadow said, blinking to the sudden lights blaring everywhere. Entering the room, she found him standing by the large switch, looking quite pleased with himself. "You also found Roxy's office."

"Wow, look at all of this." Don eyed around the humming machinery with its multiple green lights flashing. His eyes fell upon a computer with a sticky piece of memo paper attached to the monitor. It read: _"Crashed at Line 10 1548"_ with a little bug sketched below the words. Roxanne stuck many notes on the wall behind the computer, a lot of which he couldn't understand: _"Get more ram," "Talk to Frank about spaghetti dream," "decrease impedance on headgear electrodes," "Who is was Mandy?"_

If Donatello wasn't confused now, he certainly would be after shifting his eyes to another set of weirdly worded memos: _"If wave= 12, plus=?" "Call Glen about hole in garage," "What is it about the 40's? Find triggers."_ The last two memos he read also didn't seem to make an ounce of sense: _"Scan needs a manual!"_ and _"Prepare OBE\NDE lecture."_

"Looks like Roxanne's been busy..." Shadow said from somewhere in the background.

"Indeed." Don agreed as he looked over a framed photograph by the computer. The picture was nothing but a cluster of dark tree branches with an unusual orb of light looming in the hazy blue skies. A black crow knick-knack sat against the frame, staring to the left with hollow eyes. "Interesting." He turned on the monitor next, hoping to get some, or any, information out of it. To his dismay, only one word appeared on the screen, one he couldn't answer. "Password. Shadow? What's the password on Roxanne's computer?"

"Huh?"

"The password. I-- hmm?" Don looked to the left of the computer and saw an 8mm tape lying there. It looked like an ordinary tape, but it could quite possibly contain something worth viewing. He quickly pocketed it and turned around to discover Shadow wasn't there. "Where'd you go?"

"Up here." Shadow called down below. Donatello craned his neck all the way up to see her on a high balcony. He then looked to the spiral staircase she had to climb to get there and let out a slight chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just find it amusing how you got up there so fast."

"Yeah, well, I guess curiosity was the cause of my fast action." Shadow scouted around near a stack of books and a small reading table where her eyes instantly spotted a strange-looking object. Picking it up, she watched the screen turn on and beep to attention. "Ooh, I think I found something."

"Yeah?" Don looked up again. "What is it?"

Shadow said nothing as she continued to look it over. It was a simple device consisting of three LCD-style buttons, all of which gave her information of their current status. She pushed the middle button first, getting the words: 'BAR off-line: BT cams unavailable.' Shrugging, she tried the next button on the far right, also not getting many results: 'AMBER unit incomplete. Unable to register.'

"Shadow?" Don asked, now with growing curiosity.

"Wait a sec." She said, finally pressing the left-most button. A blue flat line appeared with the words, 'Tonal residue ready' typed out below it. Shadow glanced to the button marked 'Play' below the flat line and pressed it, getting the voice of a rather frightened man beating on a door:

_"Open the door! They're coming! They're coming! O--*bang*--PEN THE--*bang* DOOR!!!"_

"Aaaack!" Shadow pulled back in surprise, almost falling into a comfy, black leather chair.

"Shadow? What was that?" Don continued to stare up at her. Not getting an answer, he turned and flew up the spiral staircase, reaching her side within seconds. "Are you okay? What was that sound?"

"It-- it came from this thing." She said in a shaky voice as she passed him the object.

"Oh, you found the PeeK reader!" Don sounded very pleased that it was in their possession.

"The...PeeK reader?" Shadow repeated.

"Yeah!" Don said with joy. "You know what this is, right?" From the look on her face, she obviously didn't know. "Okay, do you remember that one movie we rented about the man setting up all that equipment in a haunted castle? He was a scientist on a quest of new discovery, wanting to catch a glimpse or whisper of paranormal activity." She nodded, but still wasn't following. "He used large pieces of complicated machinery, many of which had to be rolled in on wheels and set up with various outlets. The PeeK was invented for the exact same purposes. The only difference is it's smaller and easier to hold. It's a very useful tool."

Shadow crossed her arms. "How do you know all this?"

"I learned a lot from the books you were recommended to read." He smirked before pressing the left button, staring at the flat line and the words, 'Tonal residue ready.' "The audio has already captured something."

"Yeah, that's where I heard the man's voice." Shadow grabbed his hand hovering over the dreaded 'play' button. "Don't play it again!"

"I won't, I was just seeing which button was which." Don pressed the right button instead, getting the status of 'BAR off-line. BT cams unavailable.' "This button tells us no signals are being made to the BAR, nor are any BT cameras turned on." His eyes immediately locked to a small video camera in the upper corner of the room, staring right back at him. "Those must be the cameras."

"But, what about the audio clip I heard? How did it get on there?"

"The scanning device..." Don thought to himself as he stared at the play button, wanting to hear the clip more closely. "The only logical explanation is the PeeK's wiring signals are connected to the door knob device."

"The what device?" Shadow asked, eyeing around his pockets.

"Oh, you weren't with us when I found this outside." Don pulled it from his pocket to show her. "Remember when we read the chapter on the Stonetape Theory? Inventions like this were made to gather tonal residue of spirits." Shadow nodded a little. Don looked to the PeeK again as if he found another fabulous, brand new toy. "We can scan door knobs and play the sounds on the PeeK, like you did just now. This will become very handy for us."

Shadow sighed with a smile. "Great, then I'll leave it to you to play with. I don't know how to use it."

"You don't?" Don sighed. "I'm afraid I did more studying of this equipment than you!"

Shadow made a pout to that. "Can you can the lecture and just get it to work?"

"Lecture is my middle name, but if you insist..." Don lifted the PeeK to her, pushing the right button. "Okay, for the moment, it's telling us the BAR is off-line and the BT cams are unavailable. You remember what the BAR was, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded again. "The psionic wave machine that picks up paranormal activity in a house."

"Right, now do you remember the proper settings to run it?" Shadow went to say but stopped, grinning broadly. "I...guess not, and how unfortunate we left all of your precious notes at home."

"Sorry!" She continued to grin with an added shade of pink to her cheeks.

"Hey, like you knew you were going to need them here." Don pushed the middle button last, dropping his brow all the way down at the words that flashed across the screen. 'AMBER unit off-line.' "Did you see this one yet?"

"Yeah, I did." Shadow also dropped her brow. "Do you know who Amber is?"

"We're talking machines here, Shadow. It's not a who." Don gazed back down at the words, shaking his head. "It's a what."

"So, tell me what it is!" Shadow started to get antsy. "What's Amber?"

"I...I don't know." Don swallowed heavily. "This is something Roxanne hasn't gone over with you yet."

"Oh, come on! You must know something!" Shadow persisted, watching him lower the PeeK and close its screen. "Wait, there's gotta be some notes she stashed away somewhere. Help me look." Her voice trailed off as she backed away and trampled down to the first level.

In a corner next to the stairs was a small writing desk with more of Roxanne's notes scattered upon it. Donatello climbed down and stared at the surface of the desk, looking to a black Bio-Psi Technologies coffee cup, a pyramid-shaped 'Ask Me' paperweight, and a large piece of scribble paper in the center of the desk. _More notes_, he thought, _more weird notes and with weird pictures no less!_ A stick figure of a woman with curly hair was drawn next to a name with a question mark next to it. Donatello peered closer and read the name aloud.

"Who's Margaret?"

"Who? Oh, I don't know." Shadow was staring at a photo-covered bulletin board next to the desk when she turned to him. "None of this stuff is very helpful. Let's look in here." Donatello watched her crouch down at the desk and pull open the top black drawer. "Oh, here's something. It's a user's manual on the BAR!"

"A draft copy to be exact." Don stepped over to take a look. "This will tell us how to run the BAR and what settings are best for it to work." Flipping it open to the first page, the Table of Contents, he noticed red pencil markings all over from where Roxanne had corrected Paul, her tech guy. "Wow, this must be the very first draft. Look at all the typos. Whoever did this book must have been a computer engineer."

Shadow laughed. "Yeah, those guys usually do a lousy job when it comes to professional typing." Donatello shot her a dirty look. "It's true!"

"Yes, but that's something _we_ usually don't like to hear..." Don cleared his throat and flipped to the Introduction on the next page. Still upset about what she said, he began to read the welcome page very slowly. Knowing she wanted answers right away, he could see it drove her crazy. "Congratulations on your purchase of a Bio-Psi Technologies BAR device." Don looked to see Roxanne had already wrote in one of her little correction notes in red: 

_"It's just BAR, don't add 'device' after it."_

"Okay, just call it BAR, no device after it." Don continued on, hearing a slight groan. "Your new BAR (Bulbic Activity Reader), provides you with: auto-linking to BT video cams for monitoring remote sites, settings for level, gain and frequency modulation." He felt a slight tug on his sleeve but ignored it. "This manual will describe each feature in detail, as well as offer some tried and true tips for how to get the best results."

"Uncle Don, you really don't have to read that part." Shadow went to reach for the book but he pulled away, grinning rather evilly. "Come on, just skip to what we have to read!"

"You mean, you don't want to hear about the Overview of this wonderful machine?" Shadow gave him a steely glare. "Okaaay, you don't. Here we go. On to Chapter 1...for Level settings...Page 2...paragraph 1--"

"Faster!" Shadow shouted.

"Now, now, kiddo." Don said sternly but with a clear hint of playfulness. "It's always best to read such things slow and steadily."

Shadow narrowed her eyes and raised a fist. "Yeah, but if you don't crank up the tempo, I'm going to beat you fast and heavily." Such a doll. Donatello could only smirk to her cute and angry face and continued to read on...a little faster. "All right, here's what it says for Level: 'To help you hone in on a specific wavelength of electromagnetic energy, you may adjust the 'level' setting on the BAR...' again Paul typed in device and got corrected! Oh, well. Heh."

"A low level setting causes the BAR to register activity from all sources, including living beings. A low setting would therefore be appropriate for uncongested areas with a very weak signal. Conversely, a higher setting will screen out interference from living animals and focus the BAR on stronger signals." Don lifted his head and gave out a laugh. "You know, not meaning to quote from one of your favorite movies, but, this book reads like stereo instructions."

"And this book is going to take all night to get our answers." Shadow sighed, almost ready to plop down in Roxanne's desk chair. "It's been real quiet out there; I'm starting to worry about the others."

"Yeah, we should take this book with us and go check up on them." Don closed the manual and gazed down to her very tired and distraught expression. "Don't worry." He patted her shoulder. "We'll figure this out."

In the meantime, Leonardo walked around in Roxanne's bedroom, checking it out carefully and cautiously. For all he knew, someone could lunge out of the closet or an alarm could go off if he touched a certain object. Although he was unsure of what to expect, the room itself had a feeling of comfort and warmth from the furniture and knick knacks she had added to it.

The first thing he noticed was a soft, quilt-patterned bed, perfect for a quiet read, a bit of channel surfing, or a long, blissful slumber. Two night stands stood on either side of the bed, one of which had an amusing mechanical man puppet toy. To the right of the door, he looked on top of her bureau where he spotted two white vases, both of which had funny cartoon faces drawn on them. Opening the closet by the bureau, he found typical coats and shirts on hangers. So far, everything appeared normal. It was when he opened the night stand drawer beneath the mechanical man that made him more intrigued. It was a simple notebook with a spiral bind and a line sketch of a naked woman stretching her arm. Above the picture, Roxanne wrote out these words with a black sharpie pen:

Dream journal #23

Leonardo, though feeling slightly nosy, opened it up to see she had kept a personal diary of her recent dreams. He read the first page with its interesting hand writing. It also looked as though she scribbled it in a hurry.

8am-  
Last night I dreamt that a man showed me a new house. It was a lot bigger than the one I have now. I didn't like the house, but I liked the property...there were lots of flowers.  
The man came outside and became angry that I had gone outside. He screamed at me continuously for the rest of the dream. I hate having this kind of dream. Crying steadily in my sleep, waking up exhausted.

Leonardo frowned and turned the page, reading the next one on the reverse side:

Another one from last night:  
Frank and I are on vacation together. He has been away on business of something. We are very happy, at a beach; I think it was the ocean. Frank starts running and I run after him, laughing. A car backfires somewhere. A plane flies overhead. The dream switches to a school party. I have forgotten my dress. Frank says he doesn't mind and we dance.

"Very strange." He mumbled as his eyes moved over to the next page:

Tuesday night 2:30am  
A lucid dream! Just like last time, the technique has worked. This time, I was dreaming that I was in a car race, just me and some friends racing on an old back road. I looked down while I drove and saw that I was wearing my new leather pants. Something clicked: like the pants reminded me of my real life. I realized I was in a dream the colors got brighter, I felt such power. I know I had control of the dream, that I could do anything, so I drove the car up into the air and all of us just flew for miles on end.  
It lasted like that for a few minutes (it seemed!), then just as suddenly as it had started I lost concentration and woke up.

"Hmm, I wonder if any of this has to do with what's been going on here." Leo shrugged as he turned the page, frowning again to the way the text looked as if a drunk person wrote it with the sentences appearing to slide down the page:

2nd dream  
at a party I know everyone. A little boy walks up and gives me a glass of water.  
Too sleepy to remember anything else.

Leonardo flipped to the last page and read it closely. This one really got his attention:

Thursday 6am  
I was back in high school in my room, very bored and looking for something fun to do. I roll my hair into a French twist with the ends sticking out the top like a fountain. I get up and dance around laughing. When I stop twirling I see a man on a ladder looking in the window at me. He scares me. I scream and wake up.

"Wow." Leo said as he closed the notepad. Poor Roxanne seemed very disturbed ever since she set foot in this house.

"Found any clues, Freddie Jones?" Don appeared unannounced in the doorway.

Leo paused as if caught and looked up to him. "If you don't consider a diary a clue, then no." He calmly tossed it back in the drawer.

"You read from a girl's private journal?" Don gave a look of shame to him.

Leo cleared his throat and attempted to save himself. "Don't worry. There was nothing too secretive; it only contained some vivid dreams Roxanne experienced."

"That sounds like something I would want to keep a secret." Don said innocently.

"Yeah, maybe." Leo looked toward the ceiling. "I just figured anything we come across might help us in finding out where she disappeared to."

"Yeah, right, Leo." Don nodded, not believing a single word of it.

Changing the subject, but mostly out of concern, Leo asked, "Where's Shadow?"

Don twitched his neck backwards. "Bathroom. I offered to go with her, but she doubts anything 'out of the norm' would happen in there."

Shadow flushed the toilet and rose to wash her hands. As she stood at the sink, she began to think about Roxanne and this rude absence of hers. Where was she? It was so unusual for her to be nowhere in sight.

"Roxy, I don't know where you are, but you should have at least called to let me know you'd be gone!" Shadow turned off the sink faucet and paused, still hearing the sound of water running. Opening the glass door to the stand-only shower, she looked in to see water flowing down into the drain. Shadow quickly reached over and turned the faucet off, startled to still hear water running. "What the...!" Someone or something turned the sink faucet back on, this time causing steam to rise and fog up the mirror. With a moan, Shadow twisted the faucet several times, unable to turn it off.

"All right, I'm officially scared out of my wits!" She told whoever was doing it. "What is it you want?" A high-squeaking sound came from above her head. Eyeing up warily, her heart began to beat faster as letters started to form upon the fogged mirror, giving her a terrifying message:

_Join Me_

"Aaaahhh! Shadow rushed for the door, smacking into it first, and then running out into the hall. "Oh, guys!" Two startled turtles immediately turned around as she stopped short in front of them. "Oh, come quick! You gotta see this!"

Don dropped his brow. "See wha-- whoa, hey!" Shadow grabbed his and Leonardo's arm and pulled them with all her strength back to the bathroom. "Shadow, what's gotten into you?"

"This place is what's gotten into me! Look! It..." Shadow gasped as she saw the mirror was still fogged, but now only revealed a blank wall of glass. Looking to the sink, she could also see the faucet was turned off all the way. An explanation was needed but, she suddenly had this dreaded fear they would think she was off her rocker. "Oh, no! It disappeared! It's gone!"

"What's gone?" Leo sized the mirror up and down. "What was it?"

"Uggh!" Shadow started to pace and gesture of her usual routine. Taking in one full breath, she rambled without stopping. "Okay, I was at the sink washing my hands, I turned off the sink, I heard more water flowing, the shower faucet turned on by itself, so I turned it off, but then the sink faucet turned on by itself, fogged up the mirror, and then this invisible something started writing these words on the mirror!" Gasping for air, Shadow paused in her speech and reached over to spell out 'join me' on the glass. It felt strange seeing the words once again on the mirror, but this time, she knew she did it herself.

Leo frowned. "Join me?"

"Yes!" Shadow spat. "And I think if I stayed in here any longer, _it_ would have come for me!"

"The mirror wants you to join it?" Don started to chew at the side of his lip.

"No! Not the mirror! Whoever or whatever wrote the message!" Shadow puffed a breath and rested against the marble wall. "You guys don't believe me. It never fails when one person sees something and they end up looking like a damn lunatic! You think I've totally lost it."

"Now, we didn't say that, Shadow." Don stepped forward, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We're just trying to think logical. Maybe you imagined it."

"Some logic." Shadow huffed. "I know what I saw and I wasn't imagining it."

"We believe you, honey, we really do, and that's what worries us." Leo sighed and shook his head. "Just to be safe, we should take stronger precautions on the simplest occurrences. From now on, I would prefer you not going off by yourself unless you're accompanied by Splinter or one of us."

"Even to the restroom?" Shadow looked to Donatello but also caught Leonardo nodding 'yes' in the corner of her eye. "Oh, terrific, there goes my privacy right out the window! Not that it really matters since a ghost _was_ in here with me and staring with invisible eyes!" Shadow didn't like the sentence she just said and gave a noticeable chill. "Sorry, I can be real shy at times."

"Hey, it's not like I would have stood and deliberately watched you!" Don told her with a roll to the eyes. "That wasn't the point of me accompanying you in here. Besides, something worse could have happened than receiving some cryptic message and we wouldn't have been able to get to you in time."

"Yeah, I know." Shadow shrugged. "I guess now is not the time to be modest."

"No, not when we're being toyed with by unknown forces." Leo looked over to the door and out into the hallway. The silence coming from it made him a little concerned about his brothers and sensei. "Come on, we should go check on the others." Shadow walked out of the bathroom first, feeling a hand lightly pat her shoulder as she left. Leo looked to Donatello closely. "She was right about one thing. This place is certainly going to keep us on our toes."


	4. Chapter 4: Restless Hosts

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 4: Restless Hosts_

Down from the staircase and hanging a right from the hall, Leonardo, Shadow and Donatello found the rest of the group in what appeared to be the living room quarters. Leonardo and Splinter made instant eye contact and a silent phrase of 'we're okay' both went through their inner thoughts. Michaelangelo, meanwhile, quietly read a book he found on the coffee table. The contents must have been very intriguing; he didn't look up when his brothers and Shadow entered the room. Raphael was also there, staring quizzically at an unusual machine in the corner of the room.

"Thought you guys got lost up there." He said as he turned to them. "Find any more geek toys?"

"Shadow did, this time." Don looked annoyed with him referring to the gadgets as geek toys, but still held up the PeeK for them to see. "This device plays the tonal residue of spirits as well as gather visual signs of their haunting spots." Raphael nodded, even though the idea of ghost hunting didn't concern him. "The cameras are off-line for now, so it won't do us any good to test their capabilities."

"Well, while you guys were playin' around upstairs, I came across this weird hunk of junk." Raph gestured to the machine. "I turned it on, but so far, nothin' happened. All it says is Level, Gain and Frequency Mode."

"Oh, that's the BAR!" Shadow gasped as she walked over, staring down at it.

"Greeeeeat." Raph droned with little excitement. "What is it?"

"It's a machine that picks up paranormal activity. Yet another useful invention, I might add." Don said as he also walked over to them. "You turned it on Raph, but you didn't enter the correct settings."

"Duuuuh, like I'd know what they are!" Raph said hotly. Straight from the BAR's user manual, Donatello read and mumbled out the numbers for the Level and Frequency Mode. He stared at the Gain, glancing to Shadow. "What's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

Don tapped a finger on the manual. "This book doesn't give the direct number for the Gain."

"We could guess it." Shadow shrugged, trying a random number and pressing 'Run' to start it. The letters ERR appeared on the screen. "Oops."

"What are you guys doing?" Mike asked, looking up from the book.

"Trying to get this thing to work." Don said over his shoulder.

Raph looked shocked. "Whoa, if it's even tough for you, we're really in deep crap!"

Don glared at him angrily. "Oh, thanks for the vote of confidence, you jerk!"

"Anytime, geek!"

"Stop it, you guys!" Shadow stepped in the middle of them. "Uncle Raph, this was my assignment, not his. I should have been the one to remember the proper settings, so I'm the one who should get it to work."

"So, then, how long will it take you?" Leo approached closer, probably prepared to get in-between his argumentative brothers.

"Hopefully, not long at all." Shadow muttered, suddenly feeling the heat of being put under the spotlight.

"Well, then Miss Know-It-All," Raph backed away to give her space, "get it to work."

"Use this if you need to," Don passed her the BAR manual, briefly cupping his hand under her chin, "and don't stress over it." Shadow forced a smile. Now she felt they were all counting on her to succeed, and that added more pressure to her. While she flipped through different numbers on the Gain setting, the others could do nothing but stare around the room.

Now, with the lights turned on, the interior of the house sure looked a lot different. The current room they were in looked like a cozy living room, beautifully furnished in African decor. The fire place on the west wall was a simple one with an ancient-looking time piece on the mantle. Whether Roxanne furnished these rooms herself or not, the entire house was a mixture of a modern and old-fashioned atmosphere.

For some reason, Leonardo felt a strong vibe and started using his photographic memory for this particular room. He began to take note of pointless things such as counting a total of five identical windows. Two were on either side of the fire place and the other three bunched together on the far south wall behind a glass table. Hanging above were beautiful burgundy valances while the windows themselves held up typical venetian blinds. Only the center window on the south wall had its blinds flipped upward and the stressed turtle found himself staring out at the front yard grounds in deep thought. Someone from a long time ago had been in this room; he could feel their lingering presence.

"So, did you find anything else down here?" Don asked Raphael.

"Uh-huh." Raph nodded, making a noticeable twitch to follow him. "Hey, kid, we're gonna do some house exploring." Without looking, Shadow shrugged and kept fumbling with the BAR settings. "Then, we're gonna throw gasoline on our bodies and set ourselves on fire so that any planes flying overhead can spot us."

"Okay." She nodded.

Raph looked to Donatello, thumbing at her. "I love how she listens."

"I'm gonna go look upstairs!" Mike, sounding like a hyper-active kid, took off running for the stairs. Donatello shook his head while Raphael watched him go. A smile widened on his face.

"Looks like Mike really did use all ten of those sugar packets we gave him for his coffee."

"I just hope we didn't let a bull loose in a china shop." With a tiresome gaze, Leo stepped away from the window and approached Donatello. "We've already been upstairs, Don. I guess we'll stay down here and check out the other rooms with Raph." Donatello nodded with a shrug as Leo inched near the entryway. "Master, we're going to go look around. Will you stay here with Shadow?"

"Of course." Splinter sighed, almost wanting to take a nap from all the excitement.

While the four took off in separate directions, the house became very still and quiet. Shadow looked up to see Splinter was the only one left in the living room. He sat on the sofa and meditated to himself. It finally dawned on her. Other than Donatello when he's working, Splinter was the quietest one of the whole bunch. He was also the cleanest, even more so than Leonardo who tends to be not as perfect as he seems.

Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael didn't get too far. Each crossed the front door and hallway and entered the parlor room where they found a small table in the center, supporting one of the most unusual objects they had ever seen.

"I saw this thing earlier when the lights came on." Raph explained as Donatello circled it like a hawk. "It's not your typical headset, is it?"

"No, it isn't." He whispered with wide eyes.

"So, what is it?"

"It's what Roxanne's been working on. It's her dream project."

"Oookay, so how does it work?" Raph asked as he tried to pick it up.

"Well, you know how Roxanne's equipment was designed to track ghosts and to learn about why they're still lingering on this earth, right? This headset was designed to do more then just track them, in fact, the wires and tubes within the set create remarkable wave lengths throughout its inner section and--"

"You're staaaaalling." Raph droned with growing irritation. "Will you just get the damn thing to work?"

"I can't. It's missing a piece. Look." Don pointed to a small oblong depression at the top of the headset's base unit. A fancy triangular-shaped decoration stood above it. "As I recall from an early design, there are many different objects used for this headset. This particular one is missing an oscillator."

"An osci..." Raph pulled back. "What the hell is that?"

Don gestured with his fingers. "It's an object used for producing alternating current. You know, like for a radio frequency generator?"

"Yeah, like I'd know that crap." Raph rolled his eyes. "Look, if you're not gonna get it to work, I'll just ask Shadow!"

"She couldn't help you, Raph." Don stared at the thing, getting a sudden chill. "This device is far more advanced then what she's been introduced to. Of all the inventions she's learned about, this one never surfaced except in harmless sketches and notes." Don noticed his brother's struggles to lift it up and placed a hand on top of his. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?" Raph sounded annoyed.

"For one thing, it's not ours, and second..." He glanced down at it. "It's not going to budge with the oscillator missing."

"Come on, let's see what's in here." Leo said with a twitch to his neck.

The three passed through a new entryway and found themselves staring at a beautiful crystal chandelier. Gazing around, they knew right away they had entered the dining room quarters. Strange yet spacious, the words to describe its decorations were hard to say. First was the color of the walls, a very odd shade of blue with two bright paintings of jesters to clash. What was more odd, there were three chairs at the dining table, but only a setting of plates and wine glasses for two. Leonardo noticed the fourth chair resting in a far corner all by itself. He looked back to the settings with a frown.

"Roxanne must have been expecting Shadow if she set the table for two. I wonder where she could be."

"I'm wondering where she got these paintings." Don stared at the first painting of three jesters riding on three horses. "Unless they were already here when she bought the house." He glanced to the other one on the opposite wall, a single jester dancing and juggling with delight. "They're very amusing to look at."

"Looks like whoever painted them was drunk at the time." Raph chuckled, then paused at a wooden sideboard. On the floor stood a small wire rack with three wine bottles wedged in it. Raph hunched down to examine them, noting they were very old and probably worth a fortune. "Speaking of alcohol, anyone want a quick buzz?" He tried to pull out one of the bottles but had some difficulty.

"Don't touch that!" Leo hissed behind him.

"Why not?" Raph looked confused. "That's what they're there for!"

"They're not yours, so leave them alone..." Leo's voice trailed as he looked up to scan the contents on top of the sideboard. A pair of potted plants on either side, two tea kettles, and on the far right, a small video camera. "Hey, look over here. I think I found something." Donatello's eyes widened a little while Raphael looked even less amused than before.

"So, what? There's no film in it." Raph told them after pressing the eject button.

"Wait." Don reached into his pocket and pulled out the 8mm tape he got from upstairs. "Try this."

Once inserted and on play, the three stood and watched self-recorded video clips of Roxanne when she first moved into the house. The first clip showed her sitting at her computer desk, dressed in a bathrobe and towel-drying her hair.

"Let's see, it's Day 12..." She told the video camera. "I just had the rest of the equipment moved over and even settled in a bit. Starting to look like home, hmm, feels like it, too. Like to think I would have bought this place even without its reputation. Anyway, I still have to set up the cameras and then I'll get back to the research. In a nutshell, nothing going on. Unpacking, catching up on reading. I'll use this log if anything interesting comes up. Out for now."

The clip ended and moved on to a new one. Roxanne grinned at the camera.

"Day 15. I've decided to name the new device AMBER. That's an acronym for Astral Mobility By Electromagnetic Resonance. Unfortunately, other than naming the device, not much progress. No doubt about it, the psionic flow around here is strong enough. I can't blame the house, but, something just isn't clicking. I can read the amplitude, but I can't get the AMBER device to synch with my pheta waves." Roxanne paused, getting an idea. "Maybe if I link the BAR into the network, I'll get a more stable signal. Heh, I don't know."

The third clip appeared with Roxanne's expression changing from happy to disappointment.

"Day 20," She uttered in a low tone, "and this place is just not prepared for my electrical needs. Not surprising, given the drain I've imposed on it. Yesterday, when I was feeding the BAR signal to the AMBER device, the BT equipment went down. To make matters worse, the lights have been flickering on and off. It started when I restored the spare bedroom to wartime decor. Must have been right about one of the spirits being from the forties because all hell broke loose after I finished! That bedroom appears to be locked from the inside now, and, I haven't found a way in yet." Low chimes from a clock rang in the background. Roxanne looked around as the video picture started to bend out of focus.

"Anyway, I called an electrician about getting a second breaker and a back-up generator installed...so I can be damn sure this equipment doesn't go down while I'm astral!" Sighing, she looked into the camera. "While he's here, I'll see if he can root the property and some of the house lights to the new breaker. Hopefully, that'll solve some of my problems."

"Whoa, wait, pause the tape, Raph." Don looked down, seeing the PeeK start to flash. He pressed the middle button and his eyes lit up to the words that flashed across its little screen. "This is saying the BT cams are online."

"Online?" Raph frowned.

"I mean the BT cams have been turned on to a working status." Don said more accurately as he watched the PeeK show a series of images. Each of the corner cameras displayed the living room, dining room, kitchen, Roxy's bedroom, the spare bedroom behind the locked door, and lastly, Roxy's office. "So far, it says no activity detected."

"But, how did they come on by themselves?" Leo asked.

"They didn't." Don lifted his head. "Someone turned them on." At that point, there was sudden scream coming from the living room quarters. "Shadow?" The three took off running for the living room to find her standing by the BAR with a big smile on her face.

"Hey, guys! Look, it's working!" Shadow was nearly bouncing up and down with glee when the three turtles all paused in the living room entryway, panting heavily. The word 'happy' wasn't enough to describe how she was when she declared: "The BAR is on and running. I fixed it!"

"Yeah, but does that give you the right to scream like you're being murdered?" Raph put his weapons away, not looking pleased.

Donatello stepped closer to get a better look. The BAR was on and working to pick up those silent and invisible psionic waves. It seemed like a simple device with its three settings. People in her company with higher experience would have gotten it with no trouble. So, why didn't he or Shadow know the settings? He may have been the smartest of the bunch, but even he didn't know everything, especially when it came to prestigious paranormal equipment.

Splinter sat up on the couch and rubbed his eyes. Glancing around the room, he noticed Shadow beaming with delight and his three sons looking a little peeved from her shriek of excitement. All he did was nap for a few minutes and it seems as though he missed a lot!

"What has happened?" He asked while gathering himself off the couch.

"I'm a genius!" Shadow crossed her arms, now looking pompous. Splinter frowned to her, then looked to the others who were rolling their eyes.

"She got the BAR to work, sensei. This machine here in the corner." Don looked to the machine again, then turned to her. "Um, good job, Shadow. I'm proud of you." He tried to match her happiness but still had a not-sure-what-to-expect fear hidden on the inside.

"And guess what else I found?" Shadow bounced over to Donatello and flipped the BAR manual to the last page, the chapter title reading BT AMBER. Paul didn't type any information but Roxanne wrote many notes in red pencil, along with an interesting sketch of a man wearing a headset. Donatello peered at the drawing, then did a quick glance out into the hallway. "Look at the chapter title. A device worn on your head! That's what AMBER is!"

"Yes, that's it, all right." Don swallowed. The only time she had been in the parlor room was when they first arrived to a dark house. Her hip must have rammed into the table supporting the headset. Dare he tell her the dream project itself was in the house? She would find out sooner or later. "With you turning on the BAR, the PeeK is now online to the BT cams I told you about."

"So, what'll happen now, Boy Genius?" Raph asked, glancing to him.

"Um, well, with it being online, it'll start to pick up things in these selected rooms." Don clicked the button to look over the rooms again. Raphael, standing over his shoulder, happened to catch all of this.

"What's it doing?"

"A test run." Don started to look in each corner of the ceiling, resting his eyes on a camera staring back at them. "Look up there." The others backed away and looked up to where he pointed above the BAR and a three-panel screen. "This device is connected with those BT cameras in each room. They're picking up everything and anything that goes on in this house and the film footage appears on this little hand-held device."

"Guess you couldn't do anything...you know..." Shadow gestured freely. "...without it being caught on tape."

"Sha, like instant replay over and over." Raph huffed, staring at the camera. "That Roxanne. What a kinky girl!"

"I'd say clever." Don smiled, enjoying this even more.

"But video cameras can't pick up signs of ghosts." Leo said reasonably.

"No, but they can pick up signs of ghost...activity." Don replied back. "Roxanne wants to capture on film anything out of the norm. It would be impossible for her to catch everything at once, so she put up cameras to capture the activities for her instead. Now, with the equipment turned on, anything is bound to happen."

Wandering around in Roxanne's bedroom, Michaelangelo found a large armoire by the bed with a television set inside. He knew his main job was to look for Roxanne, but it didn't seem too wrong of him to take a short break. He'd channel surf for a few minutes and find a program to watch. Maybe a sitcom would help take his mind off this spooky place.

Sitting on the bed, he reached over and turned it on, hoping there'd be something worth watching out in the middle of Hickland. With his luck, Roxanne probably didn't have cable. The television briefly flickered and flashed white static but that's not all what emerged. Odd, what was wrong with it? Michaelangelo went to click the channels but ended up getting the shock of his life. The walls started to rumble, making the others downstairs pause and listen intently.

"What's going on?" Shadow asked, feeling someone push her under the living room's entryway.

"Feels like an earthquake!" Leo said as they piled together. It wasn't an earthquake. Harsh moaning, almost like an animal in pain, started very low, then gradually grew as it got closer to them.

"Since when do earthquakes moan?" Raph turned around to hear the dining room door swing open and a quick breeze blow past them. "Whoa!" Soon, the moaning ceased and the rumbling stopped.

"What was that?" Shadow asked with her eyes closed and her arms squeezing like a boa constrictor around Raphael's middle.

"I dunno, but...Mike!" Raph whispered as he looked to Shadow. "He's upstairs!" Again the house rumbled as they all trampled loudly up the staircase, finding Michaelangelo passed out on the floor in Roxy's bedroom. The TV was on but only had flickering static. Raph and Donatello helped him up onto the bed as the others stared in the doorway. "Mike? Wake up, bro. Come on, Mike, wake up!" Michaelangelo rolled his eyes up, staring at a blurry ceiling fan twirling around.

"What happened?"

"That's what we'd like to know!" Leo said as he stepped in and sat at the edge of the bed. "One minute we were downstairs and then all of a sudden, the house started to shake, voices moaning, an invisible thing flew by us, and then we found you unconscious!"

"I never saw it..." He mumbled, "...something came in here and knocked me out."

"Probably the same thing that was in the bathroom with me." Shadow said, noting Michaelangelo was giving her an odd look. "I'll tell you later."

"All I did was turn on the TV." He said weakly. "The screen showed various scenes of the house like something was moving around in it. By the time I noticed the thing entering this room, I blacked out."

"Various scenes of the house?" Leo asked, dropping his brow and turning to Donatello. "I thought that PeeK thing only picked up footage from the house. How did Mikey see all that on the television?"

"Yeah, explain that one, Mr. Genius!" Raph actually sided with Leonardo with arms crossed. Even Shadow and Splinter waited to hear what he had to say. Michaelangelo, calmly sitting up, also wanted to hear.

"Hmm." Don looked down to the PeeK. "My only guess is a spirit became attracted to the television and Mike saw what it saw. When he turned on the television, he sent a vast wave of frequencies throughout the house, summoning a very disturbed presence to give him a piece of its mind."

"You really don't know, do you?" Raph raised an eye ridge.

Don shrugged back. "Hey, sounded good to me."

"I'm convinced!" Mike nodded to him. "How do you know all this, Don?"

"I read it in _Realms of the Paranormal_, a handbook Shadow was recommended to read when she first got the job at Bio-Psi Technologies. Plus," Don lifted up the 8mm video tape, "Roxanne left us some valid information on both the equipment and the background of this house."

"Really?"

Donatello went to continue but Raph took over for him. "Not only that, it's got clips of herself in the shower! Real hot and sexy footage!"

"Whooooa!" Mike jumped up and tried to snag the tape. "I gotta see that!"

"Stop it!" Don backed away, glaring to Raphael. "That's not what's on there!"

"How do you know? We didn't watch the whole thing!" Raph crossed his arms. " 'Sides, these people can get very bored out in the middle of nowhere!"

"Come on, Mike." Don started to head back downstairs. "We have something else better to show you."

"Better than seeing Roxanne in the--" Splinter bapped him on the head with his walking stick. "Ow! Okay, okay, I'm coming."

Much arguing and chatter went on amongst them as they shuffled down the stairs towards the left of the hall this time, to the parlor room. Shadow paused in the entryway and saw the AMBER headset along with the enormous power generator standing next to it.

"Hey! It's--"

"Roxanne's head-banging invention, we know." Raph said, looking over to Donatello.

"Whoa." Mike gave a sudden chill. "It looks like a head piece used for the electric chair."

"Shadow, meet AMBER." Don gestured between her and the table.

"I can't believe it's here! I..." Shadow suddenly was at a loss for words as she circled the table, staring as if it were a large diamond sitting on an ancient pedestal. The months of research, the never-ending lectures, the constant phone calls to get her (and Donatello's) opinion on making the proper adjustments, and here it was now, in all its complete and beautiful glory. The temptation to finally try it out was strong. Yet, at the same time, the very sight of it frightened her to death. Finding her voice again, she frowned and looked to them in deep question. "Is it on?"

"It's on, but it won't work without the oscillator." Don pointed to the same depression spot. "See where it should be--"

"OHMYGOSH!" Shadow screamed, making everyone jump. Michaelangelo clutched his chest as the others stared with both questioning and slightly angry faces. "Uh, sorry about that. I just remembered I found something in Roxanne's mailbox. Here." Digging into her pocket, she pulled out the oscillator. "Is this it?"

Don's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Yes! That's it!"

"Knew I shoulda asked you first, kid." Raph looked pleased as well. "Good job, and I'll forgive you for screaming like that."

Mike scratched his head. "But, what was it doing in the mailbox?"

"According to the attached letter, Roxanne had to contact the guys back at the lab to send her a new one." Shadow glanced down to the little oscillator in her hand, feeling a radiant power from within it. "Apparently, the old one stopped working for her."

"Well, let's put it in and see what it does for us." Don told her. Shadow inserted it into the depression and pulled her fingers back, watching a series of electricity seer through the oscillator into the machine. The piece worked as promised, but it still wasn't lifting up the headset for them to retrieve and use it.

"Did it work?" Leo watched with interest.

"Yeah. AMBER is now online." Don noted after the PeeK flashed at him.

"Which means what?" Raph asked next.

Don lifted his gaze and growled out like how Beetlejuice said it: "It's show time."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Oh, knock it off and just explain already!"

"No, I'm serious." Don grinned, catching Shadow bite her lip. "Both this and the BAR are activated. They can start gathering things within this house. The BAR controls the psionic waves flowing not only through the house, but also through AMBER. All we've got to do now is wait for something to happen."

The six glanced around for a few seconds, getting silence in return. Finally, Mike patted his stomach. "Guys, I'm starving!"

"The poor, begging forest creature hath spoken." Raph winked to Shadow.

"Actually, I'm a little famished myself. Let's go to the kitchen and get something to eat." Shadow continued forward through the entryway into the dining room. Turning around to see if they were following, she suddenly froze with her eyes locking up at the wall. Above their heads near a window was a silhouette of a man, peering in at them. With their backs turned, The turtles nor Splinter saw it. "Oh, my God! Look, up there! Behind you!" The silhouette faded into the wall just as they turned to look. Drat! It happened to her again.

"What was it?" Leo looked to the wall, then back to her petrified face.

Shadow's jaw trembled as if she were trying to speak, but she appeared stuck. Why did ghosts always appear to one person and then vanish? Like the bathroom incident, she would look like a damn fool if she tried to explain the shadow formation on the wall.

"Nothing." She mumbled, shaking her head. "It was nothing."

Once in the kitchen, Michaelangelo felt right where he belonged. As the others wandered around to find food in the pantry or the refrigerator, he stood at the counter and whipped up some delicious deli-style sandwiches. Living in New York long enough has shown him the basics to creating a most tasty hoagie. Every so often, he'd look at Shadow leaning over the counter island, staring blankly at the far wall. Strange things were happening to her and it worried him into thinking she would crack from the pressure at any moment.

"Come on, kid. You haven't eaten since lunch." Mike passed her the plate with his sandwich. She stared down to it as if it was going to start rising into thin air. "Hey, I believe the nothing you saw in the dining room was a something. We just missed it. You gotta be quick if you want to catch an odd occurrence."

"I saw a man staring in at us." Shadow said, her voice cracking on her words. This made the others look over at her. "I couldn't see his face, but as soon as you all turned around, he was gone! I swear, ghosts have a thing about teasing one person and disappearing from the rest!" Feeling her stomach growl, she reached over and took a bite. "Really, Uncle Mike," She said through small chews, "I wish this night would end soon. All this waiting is making me even more crazy."

"I know. Hate waiting." Raph grumbled as he leaned against the cupboards with arms crossed. "I can't believe we have to wait for something to happen!"

"We don't have a choice." Don shrugged, looking down to the quiet PeeK. "Roxanne and her company invented this stuff, only time will tell when it decides it wants to work for us." Hearing a groan, he looked up to see Raphael push away from the cupboards and head over to the back door. "Where are you going?"

"To look around outside. Be back in a few." Raph went to open the door but paused, seeing the PeeK light up. "Um, Don?"

"Hmm?" Don broke out of the trance of watching Michaelangelo eat his hoagie when he also caught the PeeK blinking. "Whoa! That didn't seem to take long!" Don clicked the button to read, 'activity detected.' "Ut, oh." The others gathered around to watch a BT camera pick up something twist the back door knob of the kitchen, followed by banging on the door frame. Shadow screamed and backed away as Raphael edged closer, watching this strange phenomenon.

"Who's doing that?" Mike asked with fright. Raphael grabbed for the handle and threw it open, finding the patio area completely empty. A blast of cold air made its way in, blowing his bandana strands back. "_Raph!_"

Raph whipped his head around. "What?!"

"Why'd you open the door?" Mike asked, still sounding terrified.

"Something's here." Raph whispered, making Michaelangelo and Shadow plow into each other. He glanced to the door knob, recognizing the patio area from when they first arrived at the house. "Hey, Don, you know how you said the PeeK is connected to the door knob thing for tonal whatever?"

"Residue. Yeah." Don nodded, turning to pull out the knob device. "What about it?"

"Well, we haven't attached it to any other doors, so the sound clip from this door knob would still be the same, right?"

"Right." Don looked down, glancing to the knob, then at the device.

Shadow looked painfully to him. "Don't tell me you're going to play that awful clip again with the man yelling?"

"What man?" Raph asked with surprised interest.

Don sighed and looked between her and Raphael. "We know how it sounds, but the others haven't heard it yet."

"You're not missing much, really!" Shadow said to them, again looking to Donatello as if begging not to play it.

"I'd like to hear it." Raph finally said, reaching for the PeeK. "Here, let me see that thing."

"Fine, it's the left-most button to hear sounds. Just press play when ready." Don passed him the PeeK, mouthing a quick 'sorry!' to Shadow who started to cover her ears. What emerged sent chills down everyone's spine. The same man's voice, still sounding frantic, came through the miniature speaker:

_"Open the door! They're coming! They're coming! O--*bang*--PEN THE--*bang* DOOR!!!"_

"What was that all about you wonder?" Raph asked, looking to them as they all stared blankly.

"Hmm." Splinter said, watching the PeeK shut itself off. "I wonder who he was referring to as 'they'."

"Is it over?" Shadow asked, lifting her hands off her ears.

"Yeah, it's done." Raph said, smirking to her reaction. "At least we know of one spirit so far--"

"Two, actually." Leo corrected. "On her tape, Roxanne mentioned a spirit trapped in that locked bedroom upstairs."

"I don't even want to know why it's trapped in there." Shadow said with a shaky voice. "It was probably some psycho who killed himself and is wallowing in his own mysteries of why he's stuck in there. I'm not going in there at all. I don't care."

Leo shook his head. "Psycho or not, I still think we should check it out. Don, let's go scan the door knob and see what we get." Donatello, not looking too thrilled about going, nodded as he and Leo turned and headed up for the locked room. "We'll be right back."

"Yeah, sure, and we'll be hiding under the floorboards!" Mike moaned, afraid to move anywhere. Noting Raphael leaving again for the back door, he grabbed for his arm. "Wait, where are you going? You can't leave us alone!"

"Hey, you've got Splinter and Shadow here to protect your yellow hide." Raph said, pulling his grasp away. "I still wanna look around the outer grounds. Maybe I'll find something in the garage, such as a car I can hot-wire and we can get the hell out of here. You can tell Leo the Leader where I went if ya want."

Mike went to stop him again but Raphael was already out the door. "Wonderful." He looked to Shadow and Splinter. "So, what do we do now?"

"I suppose we could continue to look around," Splinter said quietly, "but, do remain cautious at all times."

Michaelangelo couldn't touch his food anymore after losing his appetite. He gave his sandwich to Shadow who attempted to eat as much as she could. She knew she was hungry, but her mind worried about other things, such as what would happen next?!

Donatello set the scanning device on the locked room. The PeeK flashed and told them it will take approximately 5 minutes for an accurate reading. Leonardo noted another closed door down the upstairs hallway and opened it, entering a balcony area.

"What'd you find?" Don asked, following him.

"This just leads out to a balcony." Leo said, stepping out to look at the front part of the house. He saw a figure walk across the cement path. It was Raphael. "Hey, where is Raph going?"

"Well, he said he wanted to look around outside. Can't stay cooped up indoors for long, I guess." Don shrugged as he rested against one of the balcony's beams. "Can you believe all this stuff going on? I mean, I've always been a believer of ghosts, but I never thought I'd be experiencing it for real."

"I know what you mean." Leo said, staring out at the front lawn. "This house is full of angry and confused spirits. They don't know they've died and they need help in crossing to the other side. I never thought it'd be us doing the helping but, since Shadow is involved, I'm going to do what I can to get this mystery solved."

"Man, you really do sound like Freddie Jones." Don grinned. "So, about that dream journal?"

"What about it?" Leo looked to him from the corner of his eye.

"What did it say? What did she write about?"

Leo gave him a stern look. "Gee, after you getting on my case about looking through a girl's private journal, you sure are being inquisitive!"

"Curiosity nipped me in the rear." Don blushed a little. "So, go ahead and spill it!"

"Better yet..." Leo turned and went back inside, heading for Roxy's bedroom. "Why not just read it for yourself?"

"Well, I don't think I really should..." Leonardo pulled out the notepad and passed it to him. Don stared down at the cover of the notepad, squinting a little. "Hey, I've seen this naked lady sketch before, but from where?"

"Just read, Don." Leo rolled his eyes as Donatello took a seat on the bed, skimming through the book rather quickly. He knew he was a fast reader but, then again, there wasn't much for him to indulge. Roxanne's writing seemed quirky, hastily written, and above all, bizarre. "What do you think?"

"These are considered normal dreams." Don shrugged as he flipped another page. "Well, normal, as being typically strange. I can't think of anyone's dreams making an ounce of sense. The only thing one can do is write them down, like Roxanne did here, and try to analyze them piece by piece."

"Don?" Leo stared down at the bed.

Don ignored him. "Like who's this man on the ladder that frightened Roxanne? Could it be parallel to the man that frightened Shadow in the dining room?"

"Don?"

"Or this other dream. Who's this boy that gave her a glass of water at a party? That could also be some connection to the apparition at the lake..."

"Don!"

Don jolted. "What?"

"It's flashing again."

"It is?" Don looked over and picked up the PeeK. "Seems a little early for the scan device to be done reading." Don clicked the on switch and read the following, 'activity detected.' A view of the dining room appeared on the little screen, giving them a display of ghostly goings-on. A fork levitated off the dining table and started twirling in the air, followed by the chairs rearranging themselves in weird movements. Shadow, being the victim, slid away into the parlor room and started a dead-run into the hallway where she met up with Michaelangelo and Splinter.

"Shadow? What happened, sweetie?" Mike turned to her bug-eyed expression.

"Ohhhhh, not much! I just watched a dancing fork and some moving chairs..." She babbled like it was a normal thing.

"Shadow, are you all right?" Leo asked as he and Donatello trampled down the stairs. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, no." She laughed with fright. "They just want me to have an early heart attack!"

Mike clutched his chest. "Now, that would hurt."

"I'm only guessing on this, but I'm pretty sure these spirits are only playing with us and wouldn't do any intentional harm." Don tried to make light of it, but from the look on Shadow's face, it didn't work. He glanced down to the PeeK. "We've still got two minutes."

"Till when?" Shadow squeaked. "The next weird thing to happen?"

"No," He looked to Leonardo, "till we find out what's behind door number two." As they all stood there, Raphael came barging through the front door, almost ramming into them. Shadow screamed as the others backed away to look at him questionably.

"Where have you been?" Leo demanded.

"We've got a problem. I...I found Roxanne." He told them, half out of breath from running. "She's in the garage."

"What? Oh, my God! Is she okay?" Shadow asked, staring with concern.

"That's the problem." Raph looked to her and shook his head. "I think she's dead."


	5. Chapter 5: More Unsolved Mysteries

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

A.N.: Hello again! It seems I've run into a little bit of a computer problem and for awhile, lost access to Windows! It was very scary. I thought I lost all of my precious files! I save as often as I can, but I strongly knew I had old text to this chapter on a zip disk. Anyway, I'm quite pleased with the final results after doing grammar/spell check many times over. Enjoy what I've got and I'll continue to type (and fix) the rest of the chapters already in progress!

* * *

_Chapter 5: More Unsolved Mysteries_

_"Nooooo!! Pleeeease....nooooo!!" *bang*_

"And that's all we got." Leo looked to everyone as they stared with cringed expressions. The young woman sounded very distraught before the gun went off, leaving the others to question who shot her and why. "At least we know the ghost is a woman who was murdered some time in the forties era."

Mike looked shocked. "Murdered! But, who would do such a thing?"

"Maybe she was a Hollywood actress who cheated on a rich director." Raph answered with a shrug. "I dunno. The forties was a weird time."

The group paused outside the garage entrance, each of them giving it a good look before entering. It was a typical family-size garage made of white steel and sporting two large doors to allow two cars to fit inside its enclosure. Only the left side of the double doors appeared accessible and opened easily, plummeting them into a semi-dark, cold, and very windy atmosphere. Roxanne was somewhere inside and the thought of finding her dead made the mood seem even more grim. Shadow gave a good three-sixty turn around the huge garage. Had her Chevy Suburban made its complete destination, it would have fit perfectly inside.

Mike smirked to Raphael. "There's no car in here to hot-wire."

"Not with our luck." He scowled. "This way." The group followed his lead over to a rickety staircase in the far right corner. Donatello noticed a door, but decided to ignore it. Much as he wanted to, it wasn't the right moment to start scanning for more ghost voices. The stairs creaked and groaned with each step they took to reach the garage's loft. Once at the top, Raph side-stepped to let the others get a good view of what he previously saw. There she was, sprawled out on the hard, wooden floor. Strapped to her forehead was an identical headset they found in the parlor room, but just like her, it was completely inactive.

"Roxanne!" Shadow bent down and shook her. She didn't respond. "Oh, please answer me, Roxy!" Splinter bent down on the other side, placing two bony fingers to her neck, then to one of her wrists. "Is she dead, Grandpa?"

"No, she is not dead." Splinter looked up to each of them. "She is in another state of consciousness."

"Huh?" Shadow looked to him with a crinkled nose.

"Limbo." Raph blurted.

"No man's land." Mike said next.

"Plunged into an abyss." Don added.

Finally, Leo called it, "The astral plain."

"Well, which is it?" Shadow asked after darting her eyes from each of them.

"I do not know." Splinter shook his head. "It is hard to tell of her current whereabouts."

"But, why can't we get her back?" She looked to him sadly. "It's like she can't even hear us!"

"She does not even know we are here at this very moment." Splinter looked back to her lifeless body. "This unusual head piece must have shut down while she was astral, dividing her between multiple locations. I can try communicating with her through meditation, but it would do no good in bringing her back. She can only return to her normal state with the software that put her there in the first place."

"And the software is on her computer," Don said with regret, "software that is locked behind an unknown password."

"What password has ever stopped you, Boy Genius?" Raph asked, giving him a look. "You've cracked hundreds of passwords in 5 minutes flat. Can't you do the same on Roxy's comp?"

"I probably could try cracking it." He shrugged a little.

"Please do. We gotta get her back. All of her." Shadow stood and gazed down, her eyes growing misty. "Now, let's get out of here before I really get emotional."

Looking as if they had come from a funeral, the six started to head back to the house in silence, just in time to catch another ghostly detection on the PeeK. Luckily, they were outside when it happened. Light fixtures began to sway in the kitchen as a large butcher knife sprung to life on the counter. It calmly rose into the air, spun around, and then plunge into the tile floor as easily as it would have made contact with a slab of meat.

"Yikes." Mike glanced to Shadow who suddenly grew multiple goose-bumps. "Did you say they were benign or malign spirits?"

Raphael, growing tired of the indoor romp-around, told them he wanted to look around some more behind the house. The others let him wander off as he headed north behind the garage and into some pine trees. Heading along the grass, he spotted a dirt road blocked by hundreds of weeds.

"Damn weeds." He muttered, turning to pull out his faithful sai blades. Like Edward Scissorhands taking no time at all, he made an accessible path into the next clearing. He grinned to his progress. "Heh! I should've been a gardener!"

The path continued through a long series of steps made out of round pieces of tree logs. This must have been a favorite spot to go to among the many past owners who lived at this residence. Wide open space with surrounding wilderness all around would make any outdoors man right at home. The log steps within the grass hill climbed higher and higher until he paused at another clearing, getting a full view of--

"A gazebo?"

Raphael took only one step closer and caught a large, black figure rise in front of him. It groaned with anger to see someone had disrupted its home, but then vanished into thin air. _Very odd_, he thought. More weird sensations began to occur, such as the grounds vibrating with high activity. If he stood still long enough, he could actually feel the presence of a strong, evil being, perhaps not of these earthly bounds.

Once inside the gazebo, his skin began to crawl with fear. Whispering echoed through the walls, and Raphael swore he caught glimpses of dark formations floating just passed the corner of his eye. An old radio talk show host named Art Bell had people call in with such stories, referring to their encounters as Shadow People, or beings that would cross through walls behind one's back. Some callers said they were harmless while others admitted to being attacked by them. With that in mind, Raphael was beginning to think twice about why he made the decision of strolling out here alone. Humming softly, he tried to think of other things then hearing voices and seeing creepy shadow forms.

The gazebo itself had seen better days. It was a shabby little enclosed area, something right of those castle-like playground forts he used to sit up in when Shadow was a youngster. The only way down were a few exits, all in the form of a twisty slide. He usually got his shell stuck in those slides and ended up leaving the way he entered: the boring stairs. Sitting there long enough, an old memory flashed before his eyes:

_He never forgot the time he took the little tyke out to the playground an hour before dusk. Other children were still out playing and the parents didn't seem aware of him sitting on a distant bench, keeping a watchful eye on her. Shadow played with the other kids but one showed her a trick that will forever haunt his mind. Sliding down the slide standing up, the newest and most challenging style for any kid wanting to show off. The trend began right away. Kids started removing their shoes to make their socks go faster all the way down to the awaiting sandbox._

_Shadow looked down from the top, leaving her shoes by the ladder. She squatted a little to avoid bumping her head in the little tunnel and half-way down, started to stand up. As she went, another kid couldn't wait and came sliding down right behind her, pushing her out of the way and out of the slide itself! Shadow tried to grab onto the side but the edge was too thick for her small fingers. Raphael's jaw dropped when he watched her land on her stomach with a hard smacking sound. A young man holding his little boy rushed over to her, gazing down with utter concern._

_"Kid, are you all right?" Shadow just laid there gasping. "Kid?!"_

_"I...I'm fine." She coughed out, trying hard to breathe in._

_For the remainder of her play time, she sat on a log and hugged her sore stomach, holding back the tears as best as possible. It pained Raphael by the second to have to sit and wait for the playground to clear before running over to check on her. It also angered him when the parent of the impatient child did no reprimanding whatsoever. If only April or Casey weren't out on a date, the incident would have been dealt with. Well, he figured, April would have handled it better. The police would have been involved if Casey were around! As soon as the playground cleared, Raphael stood up and ran over to her side. By then, she was okay, but still upset and quite scared from the huge drop she just experienced._

_"You're one tough kid, you know that?" He whispered as he carried her home._

_"Uncle Raph?" She asked shakily._

_"Yeah?"_

_"Please, don't tell my parents."_

_"I won't, kid. I promise."_

_"K, and Uncle Raph?"_

_"Yeah?"_

"...her answer was a vomit spill all down the back of my coat. Shoulda known I would deserve such a punishment for not being there for her." Raph opened his eyes, seeing he was still seated in the gazebo. Deciding he had enough of its gloomy atmosphere, he started down the steps and headed back over to the house. "I've been gone too long. Heh, Leo's probably worried sick by now."

"I'm worried about Raph." Leo stated as they sat in the living room. Now, he was reading the book Michaelangelo had previously skimmed through. He glanced to the title: _Realms of the Paranormal_. He remembered Donatello telling them it was a book Shadow had to read to learn more about the Stonetape Theory, where ghosts live, what they see, and so forth.

"Hmm?" Shadow yawned and lifted her head up from the sofa cushion. Apparently, she started to doze.

"Raph's been gone a long time. I was just worried about him." Leo looked to her sitting up and rubbing her eyes, obviously fighting to stay awake.

"You should sleep if you are tired." Splinter said soothingly.

"Can't sleep with ghosts all over the place..." She groaned and yawned again.

"When is that head thing going to work?" Mike asked, looming over Donatello as he checked out the large generator next to the headgear unit. "Not that it thrills me to think what'll happen if I put it on my noggin."

"I don't know." Don shrugged. "Shadow put the oscillator in and so far, it doesn't seem to be working."

Before Leonardo went back to reading, he noted the PeeK start to flash on the coffee table where Donatello left it. Picking it up, he watched another activity detection, only this time, it was something he couldn't believe he was seeing. The BT camera clicked on in Roxy's bedroom to capture a bright light emerging from the television, just like when Michaelangelo turned it on and got an unpleasant surprise. This ending was different, however, as Leonardo watched the bright light transform into an object and lightly plunk down in the empty night stand drawer.

"I'll be right back." He told them as he put the book and PeeK down and head for the stairs.

"Going to the bathroom?" Mike asked as he returned to the living room.

"Yeah, right." Leo told him and took off running.

Shadow sat up and looked to Splinter and Michaelangelo. "Oh, yeah. Let me tell you what happened to me in there..."

Leonardo started to climb up the stairs but paused half-way up to watch a smoky-white figure form in mid-air, floating for a few seconds and then quickly vanish. Was this a sign to prevent him from going any farther? A simple wisp of fog wasn't going to stop him and he proceeded forward without any other interruptions. In Roxy's bedroom, he headed straight for the night stand table and picked up the new object, staring at it with growing tension. It was a simple brass key.

"I think I know where this goes." He breathed out as he walked right over to the locked room and inserted the key into the keyhole. The door easily opened, revealing to him a nice-looking bedroom with, as Roxanne said, wartime decor.

Leonardo entered and looked around, noting a typical bed, bureau, end table and some posters on the walls. There was one titled 'Winged Victory' with soaring war planes, another titled 'Stop Hitler!' shown cannons firing and the last poster by the bed showed several marching soldiers. Its war slogan read, 'The men are ready: only YOU can give them wings!'

Other things on the wall included a framed advertisement of the Modern Home and another frame by the bureau held some very proud war medals. He had to admit Roxanne did a very good job at recreating this room to its 1940's look, though, if he stayed in there long enough, he'd actually feel as if he was _in_ that era!

Before he left the room, the mirror on the bureau got his attention. The glass started to mist and glow and in its place a young woman stared back at him. Leonardo's jaw instantly dropped as he watched the woman brush her hair and place on an old hat, humming softly to a mellow tune playing in the background. Staring at herself, she lowered her head and began to sob before the image faded back to his own reflection.

"So, did you get a mirror message?" Shadow asked as he came back to the living room. He got a mirror message all right, but his was far different from hers. She sensed something was wrong when he didn't answer right away. "Uncle Leo? What happened to you?" He went to speak but felt he'd have a hard time explaining what he just saw. Donatello saved the moment.

"Well, the AMBER unit is working fine. I can't seem to find anything wrong with it." He eyed around to see their faces looked neither happy nor sad about the news. "Did I miss something?"

"I was about to find out." Shadow said, rising up and walking over to Leonardo who now rested against the living room entryway, looking very sullen. "Uncle Leo, what happened to you up there?"

Leonardo sat down and started to tell them about finding the key, going into the locked bedroom, and seeing the ghost woman in the mirror. She seemed fine until something struck her deeply, causing her to burst into tears. All he knew is that she needed help and guidance to the other side.

"She needs to know that she's dead, and I want to help her." He finally said, looking to Splinter.

"Hold that thought, Leo. Looks like we've got another one." The PeeK started to flash again at that point, making Don pick it up this time. It was another activity detection, but to their dismay, the BT camera clicked on in the living room where they all were. "Oh, no!"

It looked like the twister scene from _The Wizard of Oz_ as the furniture and knick-knacks began to go haywire, lifting and spinning around the room. Shadow felt the couch rise underneath her and screamed when one of the flying objects smacked against her head. Michaelangelo grabbed for her, taking her to the entryway. The couches rose and fell, the knick-knacks spun in large circles and the BAR's needle crackled out large and scraggly wavelengths.

"What the hell is going on?" Raph came through the front door just in time to catch the last of the show as well as spot the others huddling together. "Let me guess, another activity detection, huh?"

"Got that right!" Don's eyes darted all over at the wild furniture doing the most unimaginable feats ever.

"I wanna go home!" Shadow moaned in Michaelangelo's chest.

"Hey, if you brought your ruby slippers, allow me to go with you!" He joked a little. Again, like all the others, the phenomenon didn't last long, and everything went back to normal. Donatello looked down to watch the PeeK screen turn to static, thus ending the little display of ghostly games. After Leonardo repeated his incident upstairs in the locked room, Raphael proceeded to tell them his story.

"There's a strong presence in the gazebo behind the house. Saw it with my own eyes. That first voice we heard is probably the spirit of the man who died there. Something was chasing him and he ran all the way to the house, finding the back door locked and being attacked by whatever was after him."

"Do you know what attacked him?" Mike asked while gently rubbing Shadow's head where the knick-knack nicked her.

"Nadda clue." Raph shook his head. "I feel like the only way we can help these ghosts would be to actually see how they died."

"Not just how, but also why, where, and...." Don raised his eyes from the PeeK, "...when. You're not going to like this, but I think I just figured out what we have to do for our...ghost hosts. Leo wants to help the spirit in the forties room while you're trying to figure out what happened to the man who was attacked outside."

"And don't forget that weird figure we saw by the lake!" Mike pointed out to them.

"Well, we don't know about that spirit yet." Don put the PeeK down. "When we were coming here, Roxanne had already gone astral. She was in the middle of solving these spirit's problems when something went wrong with her AMBER unit. That's why she's trapped in her dream state and we can't get her back."

"So, what do we do?" Shadow asked, enjoying her head rub yet knowing the dumb knick-knack will leave a nasty scar.

"We need to get that other headset working..." Don glanced over to the parlor room, "...and with the headset on, we can enter the worlds where the spirits dwell at the time of their death." He heard some gasps.

"But how?" Mike asked.

Don glanced around. "There's probably some sort of portal that can only be accessed with the AMBER unit. For instance, the portal to the spirit in the forties era is undoubtedly in that spare bedroom upstairs. Or the spirit outside has a portal in the woods somewhere."

"Probably in the gazebo." Raph muttered.

"Right." Don agreed. "Entities usually prefer four walls than no walls."

"So, we enter these worlds by a portal and..." Mike began to gesture, "...and then what?!"

Don shrugged. "I guess help them solve the reason for their untimely death." Nobody looked pleased with hearing this and, to make it worse, it looked as though there was no getting around it. "There is a problem, I should add. With one headset, only one of us can enter those worlds at a time."

Mike gulped. "You mean alone?"

"Yep." Don nodded.

"Would there be any other problems?" Leo had to ask.

"Yeah, the electricity could go while you're astral and you'd wind up like Roxanne, stuck in-between worlds forever." He shrugged, making Leonardo's eyes flare wide. "But, of course, the rest of us are here, so we'd do our best to prevent that from happening."

"Oh, God." Shadow bowed her head. "And I thought being isolated out here was bad enough."

"Okay, whatever." Raph said without haste. "But, we still gotta get that head-bangin' thing workin' somehow."

"Maybe it'll start to work once we hear from each spirit." Mike suggested. The others glanced up to him. "Just a suggestion."

At that suggestion, Michaelangelo marched down the cement path to the lake with the scanning device in his hand, the rest slowly following with reluctance. Shadow buttoned up her coat when the breezes started to strongly pick up around them. Minutes later, the boathouse came into view with the lamp post still brightly lit, welcoming them to its watery edge.

"Here's the knob. You do it." Mike pointed as Donatello came over to attach the scanning device to the boathouse door. "We all saw that glowing, giggling figure, right? Hopefully, we'll get a better clue with this thing."

"We'll see, Mike." Don gave him a pained look. "The last two voices didn't give us much detail on their problem."

Shadow yawned and sat on the grass bank, not caring if she got green stains on her faded-color jeans. She only became more exhausted when she realized how long she'd been awake. There was the long drive from New York, almost drowning in the cold lake, wandering through a haunted house and being scared out of her wits. Splinter did suggest she should rest for a little bit. She might be able to do so now that she was outdoors and away from the house.

"Are you all right?" Leo looked down to her as she nodded and yawned again. Crouching down, he gently patted her back with a smile. "I know how you feel. I'm pretty tired myself. It's been one rough day for all of us."

"Too bad the day isn't even over yet." Shadow lied down flat and looked up to the dark blue skies, blinking her eyes softly.

"Mm-hmm." Leo nodded, catching Donatello walk over to them. "Well?"

"It's got five minutes to detect." He said, gesturing over to the boathouse. "I gave the PeeK to Mike so that he can play the tonal residue when it's ready."

"So, now what, brain guy?" Raph asked as he rested against the lamp post.

"No sense in all of us waiting here." Don looked to the house. "I guess I'll go start toying with Roxanne's computer and see if I can get passed that password."

"I'll go with you." Leo started to walk with him and Splinter back up to the house, glancing back to the other three. "Let us know what happens."

"Nah, on account of getting tired of your same ol' orders, we're not going to tell you." Raph rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, as if we had a choice! Right kid? Kid?" He looked over to spot Shadow asleep on the grass bank. Michaelangelo sat on the steps of the boathouse, staring intently at the PeeK. "Man, you guys! Looks like I'll be bored out of my shell."

Michaelangelo decided to move and sit down at the edge of the dock, whistling the tune of "Sittin' At the Dock of the Bay." As he leaned back, he could hear an unusual bubbling sound coming from the broken plank Shadow tripped on earlier. He continued to whistle and ignore it but the sound grew louder, almost as if it wanted his attention. Looking left to right, he decided to look down between the planks. He paid the price for his curiosity as his eyes caught a ghostly pale face staring back at him from the murky waters. Although the eyes and mouth were hollow, they still seemed to become animated in the most horrifying expression. An eerie voice gurgled out next, sending chills down his spine.

_Hel....lp....me-ee-ee-ee...._

"Yaaaaaaaaaah!" Mike fell backwards as Raphael ran up to him.

"What's wrong, bro? Did you see your reflection again?"

"No, a monster! There's a monster in the lake!" He told him with bulging eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Raph, now growing annoyed, crossed his arms at him. "Are you saying that giggling voice belongs to a monster?"

"I guess so!" Mike spat as he pointed to the planks. "I saw it myself! It said 'help meeeeeee'!"

"Yeah, sure. Enough with the theatrics, k? Just let us know when that thing is done scanning." Raph looked over to Shadow who continued to sleep on the grass bank. "Or more like let me know. The kid's coppin' some major Z's over there."

"Should we wake her when it's done?" Mike asked, glancing down to the PeeK.

"Nah, we'll just bring her inside with us. She deserves the rest after what we've gone through." Raph sighed a little. "We all do."


	6. Chapter 6: The Dream

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 6: The Dream_

Minutes had barely passed and the genius turtle was still having the worst luck with a machine he knew quite well. Donatello sat and tried endlessly to get past the one dreaded obstacle known as a simple little password. It seemed as though Roxanne put a full dead-bolt protection lock and not even he, who knew almost every loop hole, could crack it. A groan escaped his lips after seeing the word 'invalid password' appear for the umpteen time. He couldn't let his brothers or Shadow down if he came out saying it was way beyond impossible. Not only would it make him look bad, he would also be known as the dreaded 'F' word. A failure.

"Damn!" He glared at the black screen. "Why can't I get through?"

"Why can I not get through to her?" Splinter sat in the living room with his eyes closed and body at ease. The BAR needle continued to crackle softly behind him and the ancient-looking clock on the fireplace mantle ticked the precious minutes away. The entire house became quite still, the perfect atmosphere for him to open his mind and attempt to travel over vast plains in search for Roxanne's lost being.

_"Roxanne? Child, can you hear me?"_

Leonardo stood in the hallway, in-between watching Donatello tap furiously at the keyboard and hearing utter silence from Splinter downstairs. Being the leader of the group meant that he had sworn duties to protect the innocent from any danger. As the house became as still as a tomb and there was nothing left to do but wait for answers, he felt it wouldn't hurt to take a quick cat nap. The cozy bed beckoned him closer in Roxanne's room, and soon enough, he found himself stretching his weary body out across its smooth covers.

"Five minutes. Just five minutes." Leo warned himself as his eyelids grew heavier by the second. He stared up at the swirling ceiling fan; the cool breeze lightly brushing against his tired face and body. A few minutes of sleep won't do any harm. By the time he wakes up, Michaelangelo's detection will be complete and then they can continue solving the secrets behind this mysterious house. He could hear Donatello say something rather inexcusable before his eyes closed and his mind entered into a new world. A world of wonderful slumber.

"Password..." Don fumbled out every word he could think of, including the curse words he was uttering to the screen. "Pass....word...."

"Stoooooop..." A voice echoed to his right, causing Donatello to jolt in his chair. Standing inches from him in the doorway was a young woman dressed in very outdated clothing. Like a typical spectre, her form shined heavenly with a radiant, white glow. Donatello decided to remain calm and try not to do anything that would make her vanish, or worse, attack him. However, she didn't seem to be the harmful type. If it weren't for the fact that she was missing her body from the waist down, he could have said she was one of the most loveliest ghosts he had ever encountered.

"S-s-stop? Stop what?" He asked her shakily.

"Stop..." The ghost slowly turned to face Roxanne's room. "...him."

Leonardo sighed and continued to drift further into a place unfamiliar to him. He wasn't sure how long he was sleeping when he realized it got very quiet. Opening one eye, his vision met with darkness in the bedroom. Darkness? The lights were out, but who turned them off? Lifting his head, he looked around with slight confusion. Soon, a squeaking sound started to emerge from out in the hallway. Was it Splinter? No, he wouldn't squeak like that. Squinting through the door and out into the hallway, he caught the spare bedroom door squeaking open by itself as if inviting him to come inside.

"Don?" Leo shifted off the bed and stared at the bedroom. He could have sworn he fully closed the door on his way out. Looking left to right, he cautiously walked over to the bedroom, noticing Roxanne's office was empty. He glanced into the spare bedroom. "Don? Where are you?"

"Leo?" Don waited for the ghost to disappear before running over to Roxanne's room. "Hey, wake up, Leo? Leo?!" Leonardo ignored his protests and continued to sleep. "Leo!"

_"Don't go in there."_ A female's voice perked up in Splinter's ears, making his whiskers twitch.

_"Roxanne, is that you?"_ Splinter breathed in heavily as he spotted someone moving across his mind. The image was dark but he could still sense who it was. _"Leonardo, where are you going?"_

"I can't find Don." Leo whispered as he looked helplessly around.

_"He's not in there."_ The female voice said. _"Don't go in there!"_

_"Leonardo."_ Splinter whispered back, ears now twitching. _"Can you hear me? Listen carefully. Do not go in there."_

"But, I can't find any of you." Leo entered the bedroom and looked around. All seemed quiet and peaceful. Until...*SLAM* "What the...?" With a gasp, he twisted around to see the door slam shut.

_"Leonardo, no!"_ Splinter gasped, squinting his eyes.

"Uhgh!" Shadow jolted up and stared at the flashing PeeK. "Hey! Uncle Mike, the PeeK thing! It's flashing!" Shadow looked around, noting both turtles were nowhere in sight. "Uncle Raph? Guys?" Shadow clicked it on and read the words across the screen: 'activity detected.' "Oh, no. Not again!"

"Hey!" Leo twisted the knob and began beating on the door with full force. Behind him, the lamp on the night stand began to flicker, sending off crackling noises of dying electricity. "Oh, man, this isn't happening. Don! Get me out!" The next thing he saw made him panic even more. A red, gooey substance started to trickle down the walls and onto the floor. Leo hopped on the bed, his heart thumping as he watched the liquid dribble down and slowly rise on the floor in a tiny pond. Testing a finger in it, he recoiled in shock. It was blood. "This is serious!"

Donatello pulled back and watched his brother struggle on the bed. His eyes began to squint as if he were in sufferable pain.

"Leo? What's happening to you?!"

"Oh, my God!" Shadow continued to watch all this on the PeeK in utter horror. "Guys! Uncle Leo's in trouble!" Again, she noted she was all by herself. Deciding not to wait, she turned to run up the path and rush through the house. The inside was dark and no one was around.

"Don!!!" Leo shrilled in his perched spot on the bed. He tried the windows next. They too, remained shut and inaccessible. The liquid continued to rise over his legs and lower torso, and pretty soon, he was having a warm, unpleasant blood bath.

"Damn it, Leo! Wake up!" Don tried to shake him, getting no results.

"Uncle Leo!" Shadow flew up the stairs, skipping a few at a time, and began twisting and banging on the door. "Uncle Leo! Open the door!"

"I can't!" He shouted. "It's locked!"

"Where's the key?!" Shadow screamed, glancing into the office to find it dark and empty. "And where is everyone?!"

"The key won't work! It's locked from the inside!"

"Uncle Leo!" Shadow picked up the PeeK to watch the room continue to fill with blood with him and the furniture rising up to the ceiling. The last thing she saw was the black and white image turn to full black as the blood filled over the BT camera and Leonardo's body. "Nooooo!"

"Shadow?" A hand lightly touched her shoulder.

"Help him!" Shadow jolted up and blinked to her surroundings. She was outside again with a green face staring down at her. "What happened?! Where were you guys?! Uncle Leo's in trouble--"

"Hold it, hold it, stop right there!" Raph grabbed her arm as she started to run up the cement path. "What the hell are you talking about? Nothing happened! You've just been sleepin'!"

"No, I wasn't!" Shadow looked around again. "The PeeK went off, it was another activity detection! I saw it all--"

"No, it wasn't another detection! Mike's got the device! Look!" Raph pointed over to Michaelangelo whom was down by the boathouse with the PeeK in hand, listening to the tonal residue he picked up. The scan device had finished its job but what was more confusing, how did she end up back here?

"Uncle Leo's in trouble...please, you gotta believe me..." Shadow started to wail as she raced up the path. "Come on!"

"Wait a minute!" Mike called out, lagging behind and waving the PeeK in the air. "I just got a reading! Where are you guys going?!" Raphael's answer was a shrug as he jogged back up to the house.

Upon entering the house, everything looked normal, or the way it was when they last left it. All the lights were on, Splinter was meditating on the sofa, and Donatello was probably still fighting with Roxanne's computer. But, where was Leonardo?

"Uncle Leo!"

This seemed oddly familiar. A sudden feeling of déjà vu struck her as Shadow bolted down the hallway and flew up the staircase. Without hesitation, she flung the spare bedroom door wide open. Her breath and just about everything else froze when she looked inside. The night stand light wasn't flickering and certainly no exceeded amounts of blood came flowing out at her.

"Shadow?" Don rushed out into the hallway where he caught her scanning the spare bedroom all over, apparently looking for something. "Shadow, what are you--"

"He's not here!" She turned with a perplexed face. "Where is he?!"

Leonardo shook his head as he sat up and walked out of Roxanne's bedroom. Looking past Donatello, he could see Shadow standing next to him with eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Shadow?"

Shadow dropped her jaw and gawked at him, unsure of what to say or think. Just minutes ago, she saw him locked in a room with blood filling up to the ceiling. Yet, there he was, a face of utter confusion, but nonetheless looking perfectly healthy. She began to take slow steps closer, never peeling her wide-eyed expression off of him.

"You're... _alive_?"

"Of course, I am." His brow lowered to her. "What's going on--"

"What's going on?" Shadow repeated as she grasped his shoulders, her bottom lip trembling. "You tell _me_ what's going on, damn it!" She pointed a shaky finger to the spare bedroom behind her. "I saw you in there! I saw you drowning in the blood...I thought you were...dead..."

"Blood? What is she talking about?" Don blinked to Leonardo who looked as if lightning had just struck his brain. He knew what she was talking about, but how could she have known what he was dreaming? Unless she dreamt it too?

"Shadow..." Leo reached out, but she jerked away, "I--"

"Don't...I can't..." Shadow covered her face and dropped down to her knees. "I can't do this anymore...I just can't...do...this..."

Soon, Raphael appeared at the top of the stairs and looked to the scene. Two bewildered-looking turtles standing in the hall with a weeping girl sprawled on the floor. That definitely called for an explanation.

"What the hell is goin' on up here?" He asked as Splinter joined him on the staircase.

"That's what I'd like to know." Don told him, glancing to Leonardo.

Eventually, the six of them all settled down in the living room quarters where Shadow told her frightening story to them. The PeeK went off, but it wasn't Michaelangelo's reading on the boathouse door knob. Instead, it was another activity detection, one she could barely explain herself. The BT camera showed Leonardo trapped in the bedroom and blood filling all the way up to the ceiling.

"The house was dark and none of you were around." She said with a hint of shakiness to her voice. "I ran upstairs to help him, but the door was locked and I couldn't get to him. All I could see was the room filling with blood and..." She paused and closed her eyes. "You know the rest."

Mike made a face. "Eew. That's nasty."

"That's bizarre." Leo paced behind the couch. "I dreamt of being trapped in that room....trapped and it filled with blood."

"And when I opened the door, I expected to be swimming through it just to get you out." Shadow shuddered to the thought. "But, the bedroom appeared normal when I looked inside."

"It was just a bad dream, kid." Raph patted her arm. "If it were real, the blood would still be there and Leo would be...eh, well, you know."

"Okay, now I'm really getting confused." Shadow waved her hands, glancing up to Leonardo's pacing. "If I dreamt it, why did you dream it? Or I mean, if you dreamt it, why did I experience it, or, I--I mean, ohhh! If we both dreamt it, why did we both experience it?"

"Maybe you both had the same dream?" Mike suggested. "What do you think, Don?" Donatello sat on the opposite couch with the PeeK, fiddling with it.

"Yo, brain guy!" Raph yelled out.

"Hmm?"

"Weren't you listenin'?"

"I'm listening," Don sighed and placed the PeeK in his lap, "just trying to figure out how it happened, if it really happened, or more like it never happened but seemed like it happened."

Raph raised his fist. "I know what's gonna happen if you don't speak more clearly!"

Don looked to the fist, then to the others with a shy grin. "Oookay, so, this is what I've gathered so far. Sensei announced he was going to meditate in the living room, Leo went to lay down in Roxanne's bedroom, and I went off into her office to start working on her computer. Within the few minutes I was left alone..." Don closed his eyes briefly, "I was greeted by a ghost. A woman to be exact."

"Who was she?" Leo turned to face him. "What did she look like?"

"She was very beautiful, young, and wore very outdated clothing." Don frowned, trying to remember all that he saw. "The only thing she said to me was 'stop.' When I asked her what she meant, she stated 'stop him' and pointed towards Roxanne's room...where you were sleeping."

"She knew..." Leo said faintly. "She knew what was going to happen to me in my subconscious state."

"So, why didn't you stop him?" Shadow asked Donatello.

"More like, why couldn't I wake him?" Don glared back over to Leonardo. "I called out to you, even you shook you like a California earthquake, but you never responded to me! It was like trying to wake the dead!"

"I'm sorry, Don." Leo dropped his gaze. "If I were there, I would have responded to you. I obviously wasn't in my right mind." Raphael went to say something but Shadow quickly slapped a hand across his mouth.

"Um, and by then, I made my grand entrance." She smirked up to Donatello.

"Yes." Don nodded. "By that time, I heard the front door slam, you calling out to Leo, and footsteps coming up the stairs. Just as you were searching the spare bedroom, I came out to see what you were up to. Leo woke up, heard the commotion and that's when Shadow had her little um...outburst." He looked to catch her face turn a dull shade of pink.

"Sorry, about that." She mumbled without looking at him.

"It's okay." Leo said softly. "It's understandable why you reacted that way." He looked back to Donatello. "So, after all you've gone over, what's your conclusion, Don?"

"Honestly, in my opinion," Don sat up fully and gathered his hands, "I think what happened here was but both a real and unreal experience. An illusion or trick of the mind brought on by the spirits haunting this house. Leo had a vision he was trapped in the room while Shadow had a vision she was trying to rescue him. Within their subconscious states, the two visions combined into one inside both of their heads, making them both believe what they were seeing was real."

"But, it was real! I was running into the house and I could see Uncle Leo on the PeeK thing!" Shadow protested. "Where was I if all that never happened?"

"Down by the boathouse." Splinter spoke up. "That is, your physical body was located down there."

"Come again?" Shadow frowned while Leonardo froze in his pacing.

"While we were inside the house, I began to meditate to contact Roxanne across the plains. Leonardo had fallen asleep and began dream walking at the precise moment I came in contact with a young woman." Splinter looked up to Leonardo. "I could not see her face, only hear her voice. She sensed a danger approaching in the bedroom. Leonardo was confused, unsure of what was going on, and fell right into the danger."

"A woman?" Leo quickly took a seat between Shadow and Splinter, his jaw slightly unhinged. "You heard a woman's voice? Who was it?"

"I do not know, Leonardo. She did not say much for me to identify who she was. Perhaps it was someone who also started to dream walk?" Splinter gave a side glance to Shadow. The others did the same.

"It wasn't me!" Shadow placed her fingertips to her chest. "I don't know how to get into people's heads! I was never taught that type of meditation."

"Then, maybe you did contact Roxanne, sensei?" Don suggested.

"Or maybe, Don..." Leo looked to him. "...he contacted some other woman, like the ghost who came to warn you about me. Honestly, sensei," Leo sighed and turned back to Splinter, "I never heard her voice. Just yours."

"Yes, you heard me." Splinter nodded. "Yet, your curiosity got the better of you--"

"But, wait, wait, wait." Shadow interrupted, waving her hands again. "What about me leaving my body and stuff? How did that happen?"

"Don't forget you were sleepin', too." Raph pointed. "Snorin' like a chainsaw--"

"I don't snore!" Shadow shouted more loudly than she planned to. "And I know my physical body was with me the whole time. I could see the images on the PeeK, I could feel my legs running to the house, I could feel my hand twisting on the door knob to open it, and I could definitely hear Uncle Leo shouting in that room!" Sighing, she bowed her head. "How can you say I really wasn't there when I experienced all those things so...vividly?"

"What you saw, felt and heard was not of physical nature, Shadow." Splinter answered. "It was completely spiritual."

"But, that's crazy!" Shadow spat. "That's almost like saying I had an out-of-body experience!"

"It may very well have been that, my dear." Splinter said. Shadow clutched her chest and looked over to Leonardo who agreed with a nod. "Leonardo dream walked through his subconscious and, as he entered the room, you began to see the same thing."

"But, I wasn't meditating with you or Uncle Leo." Shadow said quietly.

Splinter shook his head. "No, but in your sleep state, your brain remains very active, sending out vast waves of uncontrollable frequencies, many of which could have strong effects on your current area, current situation, and...the closeness of loved ones near by. The protection of your family is quite strong, even if you were prevented from succeeding in the task your spirit was experiencing."

"Then, I failed him in my dream." She whispered, feeling herself get choked up again. "It could have happened and I couldn't have done anything to stop it."

"Not all dreams can be controlled, my child." Splinter looked to her sorrowfully. "Or there are those that are under the influence of some unknown force, and they will play with your mind like invisible strings handling a marionette."

"Well, at least we can say it's all over now." Leo said, glancing to Shadow who still looked quite upset from it all. "Hey, I'm all right. It never happened." He then reached over and pulled her close, giving her a tight hug. "I'm all right."

"Does anyone want to hear what I got outside?" Mike asked, feeling a little left out.

"So! Let's hear what Mike got from the boathouse, shall we?" Don grinned as he hit the play button on the PeeK. Michaelangelo already knew what the sound was, but the others leaned in to listen to hear yet another unusual sound:

_"Chiiiiiippy! Chiiiiiippy!"_

"That's all it is." He told him as Donatello looked to him for an answer. "A boy calling out to someone named Chippy."

"Who's Chippy?" Shadow asked.

"His dog?" Mike shrugged. He then thought back to the pale, distorted face beneath the wooden planks of the dock, staring back at him through the dark, rippling waters. The features were close to those of a demonic clown. "Or maybe it's a toy he lost. A toy dropped in the lake..."

"Three spirits." Don shook his head. "A young woman, a crazed man, and a little child. As if it weren't already, this mystery is getting more mysterious." In less than 5 seconds of silence, the portable phone began ringing on the coffee table, making everyone look to it. Don gestured to Shadow. "Go ahead. Answer it." With a shaky hand, Shadow picked up and turned over the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello?" A distressed voice answered on the other line. "Hello! It- it's me, Roxy!"

"Roxy!" Shadow screamed as the others inched closer to listen.

"I can't hear you...oh, but I can sense that you're there! I had to warn you...the AMBER device...it's reeled with fragmentation errors. I thought I'd reached astral but, I'm not sure anymore." Her voice began to rattle as if something was trying to break the line. "I seem to be divided between several locations...everything looks different...I'm drifting in and out of consciousness...I..." Roxanne's voice hit a deeper tone. "...I keep switching...Shadow? Is that you? Who is this?"

"Should I answer?" Shadow looked to Splinter as he placed a finger to his mouth.

"She cannot hear you." He whispered.

"Who is this?" Roxanne asked in a more demanding tone. "Are you there? Don't let anyone come after me-- it's too dangerous! Besides, even if you could collect all the fragments, there's...no guarantee the software could actually compile them." The voice started hitting low again. "Thanks and...tell everyone I'm....out for now..." The dial tone returned, followed by the horrendous beeping noise.

Shadow put the phone down and sat back on the cushion. No one could respond to what they just heard. Roxanne calling from another dimension and tapping into their world on a cordless telephone was a bit hard to swallow. It was her, there was no mistaking it, but who else was trying to break through the line? Just as they were, Roxanne was definitely trapped out in the middle of nowhere, unable to return to her original existence. It was only a matter of time before their own journeys would soon begin.

"I can't take this anymore." Shadow finally said after the group became dead quiet. "Roxy told me I would expect some unusual occurrences with this job. I never thought I'd live the day to see exactly what she meant." Lifting up the phone again, she began to dial 911. "This is a working phone, I'm calling for help..." No one spoke as she listened to the phone ring, the sound being music to hear ears. Someone picked up, their friendly operator recording.

"We're sorry, we are unable to complete your number as dialed. Please hang up and try again. If you need help-- help--help--hel-l-l-l-p..." The voice rattled again as some weird moaning broke into the line, sending chills down Shadow's spine. With a shout of defeat, the others watched her throw the phone down, faintly hearing the moans continue on the other end.

"What happened?" Leo asked. "What's that noise?"

"I don't know." She sighed with a whine. "I just know that all means of outside communication have been cut off by some unknown force. Please, let this be a dream. Please." Covering her eyes, she waited a little for it to end. "When I open my eyes, I'm going to wake up and be in my own bedroom." She felt a hand touch her knee and another tap her arm.

"Shadow," Leo said softly, "I'm sorry, but, this is no dream. This is really happening."

"I know." She whispered, opening her eyes again and seeing she was still in Roxanne's living room. "I know it's not a dream. I just wish to God it was!"

"Hey, you gotta pull yourself together or we'll never get through this!" Raph said from behind the sofa. "We're stuck here on our own and now these ghosts have somehow gotten attached to us. They won't let us leave until we help them first."

"But, I don't understand how us helping these spirits will help Roxanne." Mike looked around.

"Roxanne can't get back because of missing fragments." Leo gazed to the phone as he tried to piece this puzzle together. "Psionic fragments, that is. The headgear she's using has fragmentation errors, causing her to remain in her subconscious state. The spirits will respond to a working headgear, one that will guide them to the other side. But first, they need a physical being to lead them to it." All of them simultaneously looked over to the parlor room, then to Donatello whom lifted up the flashing PeeK. The right-most button clicked on by itself and read: 'psionic wave detected. Headgear activated.' He looked up to them.

"AMBER just turned on."

Returning to the parlor room, the headset almost seemed to be alive, beckoning them closer to its innocent-looking table. Shadow loomed over it, watching a second repeat of electrical current searing through the oscillator into the headset. The current then moved toward the center circle, forming a pentagram, and finally lifting the headset in an upright position.

The PeeK flashed again, making Donatello lift it up to read the status: 'headgear modulating EEG flow to match astral current' He watched the next set of words appear: 'One moment please' until finally it read 'SURF'S UP!'

"Surf's up, guys." He said as he looked around to them.

"Surf's up?" Raph frowned.

"More like headgear's up." Shadow announced as she lifted it off the triangular base. The thing was pulsating with such power, she could feel its currents rushing up her arms and throughout her entire body. "I'm going to try it on." She said without looking at anyone.

"Shadow....?" Mike reached out but she raised a hand to stop him.

"Be careful." Leo muttered as he watched her carefully place it on her head. Eyebrows dropping, she watched a line of electrical current form a purplish glow in front of her face. The glow winked at her before vanishing and the headset clicked on as easily as a light switch. "What's it doing?"

"Nothing." Shadow squinted and looked around, her vision appearing normal. It was when she suddenly heard incoherent voices warp in and out of her ears that made her start to test her sanity. "Oh...my...wait...what is that?!"

"What's what?" Don asked, edging closer.

"Voices. They're...whoa..." Shadow dropped her head as the ghostly groans and cries echoed in her ears. The warping voices started faint, grew louder against her ears, then drifted away. "My God, they're everywhere! Can't you hear them?"

"We don't hear anything." Leo said with worry etched on his face. "What are they saying?"

"They're saying...I can't..." Shadow stepped into the hallway with her hands pressed to her ears, listening closely. The others followed with quizzical stares. "I can't make out a single word they're saying! It's all mixed and mismatched, I...uuuugh!" Shadow rammed into the hall table and squeezed her eyes shut, nearly falling on the ground. "I...can't...handle...this..."

"Then, take it off." Leo instructed quickly. Shadow was too absorbed in the voices, she didn't hear his words. "Shadow, did you hear me? Take it off now!" Shadow turned and looked to him, seeing a whole other version of him. Her view began to vibrate and swivel as if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

"Stop...moving..." She mumbled as she reached forward to grasp the front of his coat. "Stop talking!"

"That does it." With a swift hand, Leo ripped the headset off of her. All of a sudden, the voices ceased, the room stopped vibrating, and everything went back to normal. Shadow dropped to her knees and shook her head. "Honey, are you all right?"

"My God, that was more trippier than any drug from the sixties." She gasped.

"Like you'd know that." Raph smirked as he extended a hand to help her up.

"If it's that hard to deal with, how are we going to help these spirits?" Mike asked as Leonardo stared down at the headset.

"I guess the only way to deal with it is..." Leo placed it on his head, "...to get used to it." Again, the voices rang out to a new tester. The others watched breathlessly as he walked around, eyeing the room from side to side. He turned and started to walk up the stairs, the voices becoming somewhat clearer.

_"Whooooo issss thisssss? You....arrrrrre....innnnnn....with.....every available deaaaaaath...."_

Leonardo climbed the stairs as if in a dazed trance up to the spare bedroom. The headgear was now in control of his movement as well as his inner most thoughts. With this new power of guidance, he ignored the voices of his family and listened more to the voices coming in and out of his mind. The door knob to the spare bedroom was inches away from his hand when a more demanding voice appeared to him.

"Uncle Leo, stop!" Shadow called out.

Leonardo opened the door and, with widening eyes, saw the room was dark except for a strobe light coming from the mirror on the bureau. A barrier couldn't prevent each step he took closer to the glowing mirror.

"Do you see the light? It's so beautiful..." He whispered.

"What light?!" Shadow and the others glanced around, seeing nothing.

Leonardo paused at the bureau and gazed into the glowing mirror. Reaching out to touch it, the glass shattered into a million pieces, sending harmless shards out in all directions. A blinding light soon engulfed his body, causing everyone to shield their eyes from view. The room turned into one giant beacon for a brief moment and then, it was gone, and so was Leonardo.

"Leo?" Don opened his eyes and looked around.

"Where is he?" Mike asked, also looking left to right.

"Gone." Splinter approached the mirror and gazed into it. "Gone through the looking glass."


	7. Chapter 7: The Spirit of '43

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 7: The Spirit of '43_

Leonardo felt as though he was losing the connection of body and mind as he warped through pale and distorted pieces of monotonous imagery. Had he been more aware of his surroundings, he could pin-point the exact location his being made an unusual turn for. An unknown window opened up and pushed him into another waver of blinding ray of light, the tunnel seeming endless from each floating step he took.

Soon enough, the AMBER headset vanished from his face, his physical body seemed weightless, and he no longer felt himself standing on solid ground. He tried to lift his arms, but only saw thin air in their place. He looked down to his feet, only to find a bottomless, gray, pit. When his full senses came into focus, his eyes met with another glazed pair staring right back at him.

"Oh, my God."

On the floor beside a bed, Leonardo gawked down to a very dead woman, her eyes gazing lifelessly up at him. An old lamp on an end table laid on its side with the light giving off unusual beams on the walls. Next to the lamp was a pair of framed pictures, both of them splattered with blood stains. It was at that point he knew exactly where he was. Right back where he left moments ago. The spare bedroom in Roxanne's house. However, from what he gathered, the question was more like 'when' he was. Judging by the clothes she wore and the decor of the room, he could strongly guess he was taken 60 years into the past, back when this poor woman lost her young and beautiful life. Suddenly, a female voice, unfamiliar to him, rang out from his ears:

_"Ooh! Awful! Who would do such a thing?"_

"Who's there?" Leo whipped his head all around, noting the room was completely vacant. "Guys? Master?" The radio started to play a jazzy 40's tune in the background as Leo took a full step away from the body, feeling a sort of pity wash over him. He could plainly see it was an instant death with a bullet to the head and the gun resting against her shattered temple. The room itself was in shambles, a sure sign that there was a definite struggle. Leo thought back to Michaelangelo's question that had now been asked by the mysterious voice. Who would do such a thing? "Well, I guess I'm about to find out."

The room was the same as when he last left it aside from this woman's decorations. The top of the bureau behind him now had a much smaller mirror, an old-fashioned oil lamp, a hairbrush, a clock pointed at 4 o'clock, and five interesting metal boxes in the shape of people's heads. Leonardo looked over the heads and lifted each lid to hear five different words spoken by a deep man's voice:

_"miss...I...gie...you...Mag..."_

"Hmm..." Leo tried again, lifting each box in the appropriate order.

_"I...miss...you...Mag...gie..." _All five of the lids lifted at once and uttered, _"I miss you, Maggie."_

"Maggie?" Leo repeated. The female voice wondered the same.

_"I recognize that voice. Is my name Maggie?"_

Exactly. By the vibrations in his ears, Leonardo soon realized the woman's voice was coming from inside of him. He was an invisible force of matter guiding Maggie's spirit through the course of this unparalleled world. More voices reached his ears as he looked up to the reflection in the bureau mirror to see not his own self but another room more present than his. Figures walked around, searching high and low for something. It was his family!

"Leo?" One figured echoed through. "Where are you?"

Leonardo touched the mirror again, hoping to break the glass and get back to his own time. Similar to disrupting a still pond, the results only rippled the reflection.

_"How odd!"_ Maggie exclaimed through him.

"I've got to get out of here." Leo murmured, already feeling home sick.

"Oh, no! Another run in your stockings!" The announcer appeared on the radio, making Leonardo glance over to it. "Unlike the old days, you can't just replace them! Well gals, your problem is solved with the new Miller Run Mender! The Run Mender repairs runs in silk hosiery and lingerie and without the use of thread! The Miller Run Mender! The thrifty solution for times like these!" After his little speech, the same song came back on again, giving Leonardo a good reason to make a squinty-eyed expression.

"Um, I've really got to get out of here!"

Leonardo floated across the room toward the closed door and stared at it. He wasn't sure what to expect now that he was in another dimension. Yet, this seemed like the only way out, and from the looks of it, he was running out of options. Opening it up, the sound of clocks ticking roared in his ears as a wave of white static started seeping through the doorway. With a gasp, he slammed the door shut and the room snapped back to normal.

_"Well, that was a waste of time!"_ Maggie muttered coolly.

"Indeed." Leo agreed. "Let's not do that again!"

Leonardo looked back to the small mirror on the bureau and stared longingly at it. If only it were a full-size, he could probably attempt to climb through it, just like how Alice did when she ended up in the strange, and sometimes dangerous, Wonderland. By then, the song ended and the announcer came back on the air.

"You're listening to WBRD with your host, Lee Franklin! This is the Jimmy Victor Orchestra with Touch of Glass!"

As soon as he finished his speech, the same ridiculous song repeated itself for the third time! Leonardo gave the radio a harsh look. The continual lively music started to grate on his nerves, not to mention it clashed with the poor woman lying dead in the room.

"On account of my ears still working, there's got to be a way out of here...or a better station." Leo crouched down at the radio and started flipping the dial around, not realizing the background behind him turned to white static. Just like the sensation of when he opened the door, the room began to fizz and blank out from view. Flipping to a another station, the static ceased and the room was clear again. A new jazzy song played, one that didn't sound any better, but was nonetheless different.

"There, that's..." Leo turned and dropped his jaw, seeing the change in the radio station had also sent him to a new room in the house. He wasn't in his own time, but it certainly was a change from that horrible death scene. Looking around, he blinked in awe to see he was now located in the kitchen. "How...did I get here?" Leo waited to hear Maggie speak, but even she seemed as much in a fog as he was.

From where the radio sat, there was a standard metal dining table, a tall but stout refrigerator, a cute little white stove, and the cleanest counter and cupboards he had ever seen. Maggie fell silent as he took in this new atmosphere, having a bit of fun with turning on an old-fashioned egg beater or opening and closing the cupboards. Moving over to the stove, he spied a 2 layer cake resting in the center of the burners with only a portion of what she started to write with the icing:

_Welcome Home_

To the right of the stove above the dining table, he spied a calendar, thankful to finally see what date and year it was. April 14, 1943. Maggie had put X marks within the square spaces up until the 14th, or the current day he was reliving for her. He could feel he dropped his brow when he saw she circled April 16. She also drew a heart and the word 'Ted!' within it.

"Ted?" Leo said aloud.

_"Oh, that's right. Ted's coming home!"_ Maggie beamed happily.

"Well, this answers some of the hidden clues to your death." Leo said to himself. "Ted must have been fighting in the war and got discharged. You baked him a cake while waiting for his safe return. But, that still doesn't explain who killed you! Could it have been a jealous boyfriend?" He gazed to the ceiling briefly. "Help me out here, Maggie! I just don't understand what is going on."

"Attention, young Americans!" The announcer appeared in a serious, broadcast-sounding tone. "I know that in this time of crisis, you might think 'what can I do for our country? I'm just a kid!' Well, remember President Roosevelt has called on your assistance in winning this war by attending the weekly salvage drive at Franklin Middle School. You can make a difference!"

A new song appeared, one that wasn't too bad but one he couldn't stand for very long. It sounded like a jazzed-up version of "Cruella DeVil" from the Disney classic, _101 Dalmatians._ He remembered how much Shadow loved that movie when she was a child. She saw it enough times for him to recite dialogue and its songs from beginning to end. As he looked around the room, humming to the terrible music, he spied a dirt box on the kitchen counter, one that was full of little planted veggies. Next to the box was two packages of Fieldson Farms seeds.

"Looks like you were doing some gardening, eh, Mags?" He lightly brushed an invisible hand across the veggies, making their leaves sway.

_"I think I remember something about a victory garden."_ She said absentmindedly.

Leonardo looked into the cupboards above the box, finding several rows of jars with some sort of contents in each of them. Maggie was very organized with her storage of food and keeping her kitchen tidy. Michaelangelo would have been very pleased if he could have known a woman such as her. The Cruella DeVil song wavered on behind him, again grating on his nerves. He was almost excited to hear another announcement appear on the radio.

"Have you planted your victory garden yet?" The announcer asked the unwilling listeners at home. "Remember that America needs 22 million victory gardens by next year! In order to achieve this goal, we need more urban gardens, better plan gardens, and more productive gardens! Why should you grow a victory garden? First, it will release food for our soldiers. In addition, it will save transportation and reduce spending. Don't forget! It's up to all of us to raise food for victory!"

Leonardo felt he had enough of this room and turned back to the radio, flipping it around some more. The kitchen started to fade out like a discarded memory as another vision quickly took over. Quiet, breathing lamps glowed dimly in the background of what appeared to be the dining room quarters. He could see there was much exploration to be done in this nicely furnished room.

Maggie seemed quite content, if not a little saddened by what the room contained. Leonardo took a step to the left, noting a small wall unit with some framed pictures surrounding it. The top left picture showed four men seated on a staircase in military uniform, looking a little smug. The bottom left picture was of a young woman seated at a table, smiling in a very friendly way. The top right picture showed another woman with curly-brown hair, holding a cute little baby, and finally, the bottom right picture showed two young men also dressed in military uniforms, both looking very prestigious. Leonardo felt a sudden pain when he stared at their warm eyes and innocent faces. Friends, family, or both, this woman certainly had a lot of loved ones missing her.

Then, there was the wall unit itself full of interesting things to look at. Maggie seemed to be quite a collector of various knick-knacks. The top shelf held a small glass frame with a single four-leaf clover inside. Leonardo smiled at it but quickly frowned when the glass suddenly cracked right before his eyes. It was then he realized he wasn't the only one who could touch, and break, objects!

"Mags? What did you do?"

_"Oh, dear."_ Maggie mumbled shamefully. _"That can't be good."_

Sighing, his eyes moved down to the second shelf, staring at two wooden rabbits, one larger than the other. Next to the rabbits was a pair of dice and a 2 of Hearts playing card. The third shelf contained nothing except a single rabbit. It looked very sad sitting all by its lonesome self in the corner. As Leonardo turned to the dining table, his friendly radio announcer appeared, beaming with a joyous tone of voice.

"It's a special presentation of Buster Cruise Orchestra Music here on WMDR, your favorite for lasting, soothing melodies and dreamy harmonies! WMDR, 68.5 on your radio dial!"

"Great, another special presentation." Leo looked over the contents on the dining table. A teapot, a cup, a box containing another clock, a pen, and an envelope marked M.B. in a beautiful cursive handwriting. Remembering his curiosity almost got him in trouble with Roxanne's diary, he decided to leave the envelope closed. "Wait a minute. What if contains something I need to know?" Maggie didn't answer him and the precious minutes were ticking away. "Fine, I'll read it fast." Leo reached out and before he could touch it, another force lifted the envelope and opened it for him. "Whoa, Mags. You're more curious than I am!" Looking down, Leo read the note carefully:

_Dearest Ted,  
I spent all day trying to find a card that would tell you how I feel. All to no avail. I guess the card companies don't understand how hard it is to be apart for so long. I love you so much, sometimes I can't bear missing you. I found this marine clock, and it reminded me of the time we went boating on the lake...I hope when you look at it, you will think of me with my hair wet and blowing, my face glowing with sunshine, my eyes filled with love. I wish you could take me with you, but in lieu of that, let this clock count down the hours until we are together again. I will be here waiting for your return._

_Forever,_

_Mags_

Leo pulled back and stared at the letter. "Oh, Mags. This is very touching."

_"I've been real sad since Ted left." _Maggie told him. _"Sometimes, I get real blue just thinking about it."_

Leonardo shifted away to look around the room again. After reading her note, the situation was becoming more and more upsetting to him. Her beloved Ted was coming home and, for the shock of a lifetime, he was going to find his beautiful wife dead in their bedroom. Why did it seem as if bad things always happen to good people? He never understood good luck turning bad or the best of times turning to worse. As he pondered these thoughts, his eyes caught another paper sitting on a bench beneath a window near by. More letters, more words of hopeless sorrow.

Leonardo slid along the bench and stared down at the letter already out of its envelope, almost as if it wanted to be read by an unsuspecting person in the room. Reading to himself, he felt a lump in his throat start to grow with each new sentence.

_Darling, Mags,  
You're never going to believe this! We just heard that we are going to be escorting a convoy back stateside, and that means a seven day leave for everyone on the ship! We'll put in at Norfolk on the 15th of April and I should be home the day after that._

_I heard from Randy recently, they've been flying some plundering raids over Germany. He says the weather is terrible so they have to keep changing targets. And what makes it worse is the German pilots are tough to beat. But there's plenty of good news. He wrote that one of our B47's came back from a strike with a S106 missile, and that it landed under its own power! Amazing, don't you think? Sure makes it seem quiet out here in the Atlantic._

_Mags, you've been such a sport this last year, I know that we vowed never to be separated, and that neither of us are happy with this situation. But what else could I do? On the bright side, I can't believe this war will go on much longer. Trust me when I say that once this is over, I will never allow you out of my sight again._

_See you soon, my love,  
Your Husband,   
Ted_

"Well, Mags, it looks as though he's coming home and you won't be able to greet him. What can I do now? Where else can I go?" Leo looked to the radio again. The bedroom was pointless to return to, the kitchen had its share of nothing but small clues, and now the dining room was nothing but a place filled with fond memories and depressing letters. The announcer soon appeared, giving Leo an idea.

"Looking for the latest news from the front? Then, join us this evening at 7 p.m. when WMDR's new sister station, WLVN premieres at 129.8 on your radio dial!"

_"I wonder what time it is. I don't want to miss that broadcast."_

Maggie sounded interested in hearing the new station, and Leonardo couldn't agree more to leave the dining room, and its sad feelings, behind.

"Let's go try it out." Leo moved back over to the radio and flipped the dial all the way down to 129.8, a new station and a new room in the house. To his dismay, the music became more slower and sounded just like the song he heard when he first saw Maggie in the mirror back in his own time. In one swift turn, he looked to see he ended up in a cozy little room, perfect for reading, sleeping, or to simply relax with the one you love.

_"I don't like coming in here."_ Maggie said with much discomfort.

Leonardo ignored her and continued to look around. Judging by the floor plan, he could see he was in the African-decorated living room, or in this era, was used as a plain study room. The empty entryway where he and his family stood during the ghostly activities now had two doors for an exit and the two identical sofas he remembered were replaced with three striped chairs. The three-way windows he once stared out of were all drawn shut with floral curtains, giving him a sense of feeling trapped in a tight, smothering enclosure.

A roaring fire crackled softly in the fireplace, the only other sound compared to the radio playing out that familiar, sad tune. Leonardo turned to survey the contents upon the mantle, noting the items were things a sailor would collect. He found yet another clock in the shape of a light house, a model of a ship inside a wide bottle, and a large painting of a magnificent vessel. In the corner behind two of the chairs was a small end table with two model airplanes resting on them. Not only was Maggie a collector of knick-knacks, her husband, Ted, took an interest in collecting models of sea and air contraptions.

Maggie's uncomfortness gave Leonardo something to ponder about. She didn't like coming in here. Why not? Was it because it was her husband's room or was it because a bad incident happened in here? Maggie's ghost had obviously been to this place before, but did her best at avoiding it at all costs. No matter how long it took him, he wasn't going to leave until he found out why.

"Hi, folks, I'm Arthur J. Campbell." The announcer appeared in a soft-spoken voice. "I want to welcome you to our new station and a big thank you for tuning in to our very first broadcast this evening. Now, for all you who may have been separated from a loved one by this war, here's Spanky Armstrong with 'Don't Say Good-bye.' "

"Don't say good-bye." Leo repeated, hearing the song play over again. "This is it. This must have been the song Maggie heard when she..." He shook his head, wondering if he was getting closer to solving this mystery. Stepping over to the twin doors, he spotted a large cabinet and desk with another model airplane upon it. Maggie was becoming more and more uneasy.

_"I don't want to stay in here."_

"Sorry, Mags. I don't know where else to go. I'm running out of rooms as well as radio stations." As he moved closer to the desk, he felt his invisible leg bump against something by the desk. "Oops." A wastebasket tipped over, spilling scraps of paper onto the wooden floor. "I'll get that." Leo kneeled down and started to gather the scraps, hearing her worried voice speak out to him again.

_"I must have thrown this away for a reason. Better leave it alone."_

Leonardo's face crinkled as he stared harder at the scraps. The pieces were squared as if she folded it over many times to tear it up. He could see he was on to something and couldn't leave this evidence alone. Maggie seemed to step away while he worked at the pieces like a puzzle, becoming agitated at each one he slid around. From the style of the penmanship, he could tell it was no love letter to her husband, nor a note he sent to her in regards of his returning home. No, he could plainly see it was an official document. Placing the last piece in a corner, he sat back on his haunches and stared at the message. He read it over a second time, and a third. Suddenly, his heart sank and the tears reached his widened eyes.

FLW548 34 GOVT=WUX WASHINGTON DC 1670 1P  
MRS MARGARET BUTLER

REGRET TO INFORM YOU YOUR HUSBAND LIEUTENANT THEODORE  
F BUTLER WAS KILLED BY DETONATION OF DEFECTIVE DEPTH-  
CHARGE DETAILS FOLLOW DIRECT FROM OFFICE OF CORONER

COMMANDER J RING

"Oh, no. Oh, my God." He gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat. Squinting, he could hear her voice wail out in sheer agony.

_"Nooooo!! Pleeeease....nooooo!!"_

Leonardo became numb with a sympathy pain striking him all over. Her lingering doubt had finally been answered, and it was time to move forward into the next realm of existence. Without warning, a gust of wind silently picked up the document and discarded it from sight. Leonardo looked up to see he was now drifting down an empty, dimly-lit hallway. An old photograph of a man floated past his face, light fixtures above swayed from side to side and the 40's music slowly decreased in volume. At the end of the hall, a door revealed an inky black outer space with dazzling swirls of golden stars. A strange orb of light winked from the center of the swirls, almost as if it was trying to signal them. A giant weight lifted from his body and a second orb flew out to the center. The two sparkled together and Leonardo smiled, hearing one last faint word from her:

_"Ted?"_

"Yes, you're free, Maggie. I hope you both have a wonderful eternity." Leo stared at the orbs, tears shimmering in his eyes. While her journey to the light had ended, his journey back to his own time was just beginning. He couldn't help but grin when his body began to feel a lot heavier than before. "Guys, I'm coming back."


	8. Chapter 8: You're Next

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 8: You're Next_

_*THUMP*_

The wild and crazy roller coaster ride appeared to be over. Or was it? After the floating sensation had ceased, Leonardo felt a dull heaviness wash over from the top of his head to the points of his toes. He had no idea where he was heading, but he knew one thing was for sure: Maggie was finally and peacefully at rest. Blinking his eyes open, he found himself lying on his side in some dark and quiet room. Was it really over? Was he in his own time?

Leonardo could see he was back in Margaret's bedroom, only this time, all the lights were out and there was something strapped to his head. Reaching up, he pulled off the object and squinted at it in the darkness. The door to the bedroom was left open, bringing in a familiar red light from the hallway. It was just enough light for him to see what he was holding. Though completely drained of its juices, he could still feel a strong power radiating through the metal and wires. Lifting a tired smile, he knew exactly where he was and what safely returned him.

"AMBER. Thank you for bringing me back..."

Taking a moment to rest against the bed, Leonardo could hear the sound of footsteps climbing up the staircase. That could only be his family coming up to switch on the power. He couldn't wait to tell them his adventures in the forties era, the terrible music he had to put up with, the annoying radio announcers, and of course, the tragedy of two souls separated by a war that should have never happened.

"The lights went out again. I'll go flip the switch." A voice said from the stairs. That sounded like Don. Rolling his head toward the direction of the door, he waited for him to come in. Any minute now. Or any second. "Hey! Guy's, he's back! Leo's back!" Leonardo didn't have time to react when Don rushed into the room and flung himself in his arms. "Leo! Are you all right? We were so worried about you!"

Leo stared at him weakly. "Did I do it, Don? Did I succeed?"

"Er, I--" Don started to say but paused, turning to open the flashing PeeK. An image of Roxanne's face appeared on the screen and an orb of light moved into her headset. Words appeared next, telling them, 'psionic fragment isolated. Insufficient power to process.' "Of course you succeeded, Leo," He sighed, watching the image on the PeeK fade, "but, we're still missing fragments to complete the broken chain. Come on, let's get you out of here."

Donatello stood and pulled his brother up to a standing position, surprised at how dead-weight he was. The power of the head gear must have done a major strain on not just his mind, but his entire body as well. Leonardo was a strong turtle in both physical and mental stamina; to see him so weak was almost an uncommon thing. It wasn't long before the other turtles, Splinter, and Shadow filed up the stairs to join in on the happy reunion.

"Well, look who's back." Raph crossed his arms with a small grin. "Not even venturing around in another world could stop him."

Leo returned the grin. "Wait till you try it--"

"LEO!!!" Donatello went to warn him but Mike already rammed into his brother's side. Gasping, Leonardo would have fallen from the impact if Donatello hadn't been supporting him. "Whoa, sorry! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No, Mikey, just very weak." Leo waved a tired hand, slowly walking out of the room and into the hall. Shadow greeted him with a gentle one-arm hug while Splinter sighed with a relieved grin. "Hey, Shadow...Master..." Splinter went to speak but gasped when his son collapsed forward in his arms.

"Whoa!" Don held him up for the most part, but Splinter could nearly feel his full weight upon his chest. "Easy, now..."

"Jeez, it's almost like he's punch drunk." Raph mumbled to Michaelangelo who agreed.

Leo shook his head, catching his foot to stand properly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to, I--"

"Hush, my son." Splinter told him soothingly. "Let us get you to the bed so you can rest."

After the electricity came back on, Leonardo found himself staring up at the ceiling fan along with his family all around him. Shadow had briefly stepped out to make him a cup of tea and asked that he wait to start his story when she returned. It was a long and painful journey for him, and at one point, he noticed her and Michaelangelo wiping their eyes and sniffling.

"So, that's what happened to her?" Mike carelessly tossed another tissue on the floor.

"Yes," Leo whispered with a nod, "and because of it, she was forced to roam around the house in deep question. Her ghost didn't even recognize her own corpse when I first arrived. She had been stuck in that world ever since, trying to find out why she was there and why she couldn't go forward."

"So, you guided her to the light...." Shadow absentmindedly picked up Michaelangelo's tissues but felt her eyes growing misty again, "...to set her soul free." Moaning softly, she dropped all the tissues and reached for a new one. "That is so...beautiful!"

Raph rolled his eyes. "Oh, jeez, you two should work for a soap opera!"

"Ahem, I think we should let you rest for a bit, Leo." Don started to head for the bedroom door. "I mean, we're not going anywhere anytime soon, so just, take all the time you need to recuperate." 

Once out in the hallway, he pulled out the PeeK and stared at the screen. He knew he wasn't going to get any answers at the moment, but he couldn't let anyone see the small tears in his eyes. Sad news also made him weepy, however, he held it in a lot stronger than Michaelangelo and Shadow. The others could take care of their own feelings while he headed downstairs to the living room, away from that bedroom and its memories of the ghost woman. Yes, she was at peace, and now the group had to move on to the next ghost in dire need.

Shadow took the empty tea cup from the night stand and headed for the door, catching Michaelangelo and Raphael talking in the hallway. Thinking she'd better not interrupt their conversation, she casually walked by and down the stairs.

"So, are you going to put it on?" Mike dangled the headset like it was some kind of toy.

"What's the rush?" Raph rested against the banister. "Leo just got back. I don't see why I have to go so soon."

"Because we don't want to be here any longer than we need to, that's why!" Mike spat to him.

"No, you mean, you don't want to be here any longer than you need to." Raph corrected with a sneer, dropping his brow at him. "And if you're so adamant about all this, maybe _you_ should go next!"

"No way!" Mike tossed the headset to the ground as if it were a deadly snake. Raphael watched it hit the wood floor with a harsh clank. "Besides, I thought we were going in order of age. I'm the youngest, as you know, so I should go last."

"You're also the dumbest, but I won't tell anyone." Raph reached over to retrieve the headset to give it a good inspection. It felt warm to the touch. "Look, I'm just not ready to go yet, okay? I'll go when I feel prepared to go."

"Uh-huh." Mike nodded. "Like we were prepared for this whole trip! You're just scared, Raph! Admit it, admit that you're--"

"Aargh!" Raph's eyes flashed and he shoved him against the wall, almost knocking over a framed painting. Michaelangelo gasped when he saw a sai was pulled out and raised dangerously close to his neck. "Say the word again, and I'll rip out your goddamn throat!"

"Hey! Raphael, let him go!" Splinter hissed from the bedroom doorway. Raphael growled and released his brother, taking off for the stairs. Splinter called after but he ignored him, moving faster and angrier to the exit. Shadow caught him in the hallway and flattened herself against the wall, letting him pass. Raphael slammed the front door so hard, she feared the stained glass on the frame would shatter. Donatello rushed over from the living room just as Michaelangelo and Splinter came trampling down the staircase.

"What happened?" Shadow asked, looking to each of them for an answer. Donatello looked as if he was about to ask the same question, but only stared wide-eyed at everyone.

"As usual, I pissed him off." Mike said, rubbing his sore neck.

Raphael continued to march over to the clearing in the north, past the garage and over to the grassy hill where he paused at the bottom. Much as he wanted to leave this nightmare of a place, he wasn't ready to throw on the headset and jump into a portal to God knows where. No one could tell him he was scared and get away with it, not even Michaelangelo who could see right through him. The turtle tried to hide his fear as best as he could. He knew he was only fooling himself.

"I'm not scared." He told the heavens above. The skies rumbled a distant thunder in response. It felt and smelled like rain again. Just what he needed before leaving this world. A nice downpour and some lightning to go out like a flash. Raph let out a growl and kicked up some dirt, thinking deeply to himself. Why did they come here? What possessed them to get in Shadow's SUV and drive several hundred miles out to a haunted estate? He looked up again with fists balled. "Do you hear me? I'm NOT scared!"

"But, it's okay to be." Raphael whipped his head around to see Shadow standing a few feet away from him. His movement was so fast, it almost startled her. He could see she was literally cringing where she stood. Did she think he would attack her? He knew he would never lay a hand on her even if he was in the worst of moods. She, however, knew he was unpredictable, like a dormant volcano that could erupt at any place and at any time.

"Did they send you out after me?"

"I came on my own." Her brow deepened. "So, is it safe now?"

"Safe for what?" He asked gruffly.

"To talk to you." Her eyes strayed downward, away from his. "I didn't want to say anything back there...or I didn't have a chance to...but, I heard you and Uncle Mike talking and...well...it's okay to be...um, you know..." She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear and said the word, "...scared."

"For the record, kid, I'm not scared." Raph took one step forward as she stood still, keeping her gaze to the grass. "And if there's anything I hate in the world is being called something I'm not. I'm just...not ready to go walk into some unknown portal without being prepared first."

"Prepared?" She whispered feebly. "You heard what Uncle Don said. You go in the portal alone. You'll have no weapons to use, no help from us, and most of all, no physical body. You become an invisible entity within a whole different universe, assisting the spirit that is stuck dwelling there." She was telling all of this to the grass, as Raphael never took his fixed gaze off of her. "Believe me, there is nothing to prepare for except to know what you're going up against and how you're going to deal with it."

That whole talk required a smirk. "I think you've been hanging around Boy Genius too long." Raph leaned back with arms crossed. "You're starting to sound like the little paranormal know-it-all expert he expects you to be."

"Well, I think he's got more courage then I'll ever have." She said, keeping her eyes glued to the ground. "You saw how I acted when the back door knob was shaking or when the living room turned into an indoor cyclone. I was a chicken, screaming like a baby!"

"No, I think the one screaming like that was Mikey." Raph pointed with a grin.

Shadow only got more upset. "I just don't how much more of this I can take..."

"Hey, you're doing fine so far. Other people couldn't handle what you've been through. Trust me, you're a lot braver than you think." That didn't seem to help. She still looked and felt like a total whimp. "You just gotta be strong, kid."

"I'm trying to be, I really am. I know you're not scared, but after all that's happened to us tonight," Shadow closed her eyes, letting a tear fall down her cheek, "I'm absolutely terrified we won't get out of here alive--"

"Hey, hey..." Raph stepped closer and put a hand to her shoulder, the other one brushing the tear away. "Don't say that. I would die before I let any harm come to you. So help me if my brothers and I succumb to the forces of darkness of this place, I will see to it you get out of here alive and ticking."

"But, what about Roxanne?" Shadow asked softly.

Raphael pulled back a little. Roxanne. Who can forget the poor girl trapped in suspended animation? Stuck in the loft of the drafty garage, unaware of what was going on in and around her, a soul crying out for help from the far reaches of the universe. In his line of duty, Raphael rescued all types who were helpless, women being his specialty. He couldn't let her down either, he just couldn't.

"Who do you think I am, kid, the Man of Steel? Roxanne will have to wait a little longer." Raph looked away and missed a cute smirk on her lips. "But, don't worry. We'll get her back. We're gonna get through this."

"Yes, we are." Raphael and Shadow looked to see they had an audience. All of them stood there, watching like silent statues. Don stepped forward and handed him the headset, glancing to Leonardo who kept staring at the horrid thing. "We gotta keep going. Are you ready, Raph?"

"Guess so." Raph took the set and stared at it. An odd-looking thing it was, looking like what Michaelangelo had said earlier: the top portion worn when a criminal is about to be zapped to death in the electric chair. "Well, here goes nothin'..." Placing it on, he didn't feel any different. The others watched for any changes, but nothing seemed to happen. Until... "Whoa, crap!" Shadow gasped and backed away as Raph pressed his hands to his ears, squinting heavily.

The eerie sounds were a lot different in this new area. Compared to the simple incoherent whispers Leonardo received, Raphael was hearing a whole barrage of screaming spirits, all wanting his undivided attention. Their voices were relentless, evil-sounding, and above all, dangerously mesmerizing. Many enjoyed a hearty cackle while others groaned babbling words of hate, sorrow, and pain.

"What's he hearing?" Shadow asked, cringing near Michaelangelo as Raphael looked like he was about to either explode or go more insane than usual.

"I don't know." Mike shook his head while caressing her shoulder, "but, then again, I don't think I want to know!"

"Come on..." Leo waved a hand to them.

The group walked cautiously behind Raphael as he made his way to the log stairs, staggering up each one with much difficulty. With every new step, the voices grew louder with howls and curses in agony. Donatello was looking in all directions, Leonardo and Splinter kept a watchful eye on Raphael, and Michaelangelo supported Shadow who looked like she was going to start crying again. He could feel her grip tightening when they reached the dark and foreboding area of the shabby gazebo. Raphael paused at the stairs and stared up, dropping his jaw. A strange vertical light was flashing on the gazebo's roof, the beam shooting straight into the darkened skies.

"Do you see that?" He pointed.

"We can't see anything." Don sighed. "Nor can we hear what you hear."

"Be careful, Raph." Leo muttered, hoping he could hear him.

Raphael slowly climbed up the stairs, almost looking as if he were on his way to a medieval torture device. He hadn't even returned from his quest and already he looked drained of energy. The group stood breathless at the bottom as they watched him lift his head up to the ceiling of the gazebo.

This was it. No turning back now. A possible final destination was on his way when the vertical beam made instant contact with his body. A flood of weightlessness shot through him and something forced him to spin around violently. He saw his family standing there one more time before being yanked upward, through the gazebo's roof and disappearing within the clouds.

"Oh, my God!" Shadow screamed. "What happened to him?"

"Whoa." Mike gasped. "Scotty beamed him up!"

"We gotta help him!" Shadow turned to a gawking Leonardo and grabbed at his arm. "Do something, please!"

Leonardo stared at her blankly. He, nor did anyone else, knew what do at that point. Unable to see it the first time, he got to witness what it looked like when Raphael vanished into thin air. It seemed he was fortunate to have entered a more safer environment within the walls of the house. Raphael looked like he was shot out of a cannon in reverse, being hurled up into some place he had no idea what to expect. All they could do now is wait for answers, and for his safe return.


	9. Chapter 9: In the Garden

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 9: In the Garden..._

There were no amusement park attractions in the world that could top this once-in-a-lifetime roller coaster ride. Raphael felt himself warping, twisting and spinning wildly into a total oblivion of unknown realms. After being pulled upward into the night air like a reverse bungee cord, the force sent him hurling back down the gazebo, through its floorboards, and onward in the lower levels of the earth. Or was he beyond the boundaries of his beloved home planet by now? The force, relentless and determined, continued to pull him forward through a deep red cavern of swirling white fog patches. And then, it happened. The transition began slowly and painlessly. A cool blast of wind breezed over and his physical form started to disappear, his body felt lighter than air, and his vision became completely blinded by a tunnel of spectral light. The last thing he felt was AMBER, the unit attached to his head, evaporate into nothingness.

_Is this what it feels like when someone has an out of body experience? Or is this what it feels like when someone actually...dies?_ Raphael allowed his thoughts to drift as the light at the end of the tunnel turned multi-colored, clearing the picture into a side view of what appeared to be a human being's head. Raphael squinted to the figure as it started to form into the face of a man, a dead one to be exact. Unlike Leonardo's first appearance of Margaret's lifeless eyes staring at him, this man had his eyes closed tightly to the bewildered turtle.

"What the-- ?" Raph stared up at the man hanging from the rafters of some glass building he was in. The body quietly swayed from left to right, making the rope and hook creak as it moved. "Oh, jeez..."

_"Maaan!"_ A unknown male voice bellowed through Raph. _"What was his problem?"_

Raphael blinked rapidly, getting his view to a clear and normal state. He was no longer inside the gazebo, in fact, he was several feet away from it and the forest grounds. The force dropped him off inside a beautiful, white-paneled solarium built right next to the house. From the looks of it, he was standing in the small patio area, the same spot where Donatello found the audio scanning device on the back door knob.

"I've a feeling I'm not in my present time anymore." Raph mumbled to himself.

Judging by the outdated patio furniture in the solarium, the era appeared to be in the 1950's, only a decade or so later from when Leonardo helped Margaret's ghost in 1943. He couldn't say the atmosphere was any worse compared to where he was before. This dimension, despite the sight of the dead man, appeared to be quite pleasant. It was a bright sunny day with the rays shining through the large window panes, and if he listened carefully, he could hear the sound of birds chirping away outside. Raphael looked to the man, then down to the ground. A white glass table laid broken with shards scattered all around the floor, probably from where he stood to hang from the noose. Even the ghost seemed ashamed of it.

_"Just look at this place...what a mess."_

"So, this is it." Raph said, taking note the man was dressed in dirty overalls. "No doubt that's the guy I have to help. A suicide victim. Wonderful."

With a turn, he looked to the white back door in the brick wall, making it the start of his exploration in this new world. The door, however, refused to open for him. It was soon made obvious that there were some areas unnecessary to wander through, even for his invisible presence! Curiosity, however, got the better of him as he peered through the door's keyhole to see what was on the other side. Naturally, it was a view of the kitchen, except that the scene he saw was far more gruesome. Bloodstains splattered the cupboards and walls and plunged into the tile floor was a nice, large butcher knife.

"What the hell happened in here?" Raph asked his ghost.

_"Hmm, looks like someone ran into trouble."_ The man's voice said thoughtfully.

"Just like in one of the PeeK's activity detection." Raph murmured, taking a second glance through the keyhole. "Not good at all."

The ghost agreed._ "Jeez, somebody ought to call the police."_

"Yeah, right, so they can cut you down and give you a proper funeral?" Raph rolled his eyes. "I gotta get out of this thing..."

Raphael turned his form and found a double door, the exit from the solarium. The doors opened outward to a huge mass of lush green hedges. He knew he was on top of a hill, but the hedges were so high and so thick, he couldn't see any of the distant landscape. Much as he liked the color green, it almost made him relieved to know the future owners cut it all down to the ground. There had to be some way out of this area, and he quickly found it with no trouble. Only one gray rock path to the left seemed accessible, but it required rummaging through a tunnel made of the mossy, tangled bushes.

_"Damn weeds."_ Raph's ghost said with a growl.

"Ah, can it, you moron!" Raph yelled back. The path soon brought them to a new section of the unusual maze, one that was full of gorgeous flowers, more weeds, and something rather strange. Large, round, beehives, 3 of them to be exact, stood in various parts of the garden.

_"Watch out for the bees,"_ The man said, dipping his voice to a whisper, _"they know stuff."_

"Oh, really?" Raph approached the first beehive and gazed down at it. Seconds before he could leave, a swarm of bees flew out of the hive and swirled in one spot, staring as if they could see him perfectly. All of them began to talk in buzz tone, their words sounding garble:

_"We've been...and watching aliens...they're really everything...you've...where are your parents...stopped right up...murdered...they have parents from...and love...the girl doesn't like you...first space craft...where you...does the space ships coming...taking the them...as you...we are one with because watching you...like her...like you...mad...you...totally...you...we're you..."_

_"You bees are all a bunch of LIARS!!!"_ The man screamed to them.

"More like a bunch of psychos." Raph huffed. "Chill, man. Remember, they can't harm you. You're already dead." The second beehive was filled with the same swarm of buzzing bees, however, their message left him far more deeply puzzled.

_"Watching...all watching...listening...and a freak about that...hey, girl...were you deaf? Then you saw it girl...her...her stashing our traits...the dead...dead parents...why? I know because I'm saying all of aliens, you...and with you...you'll beat her...fool...out...took the girl...you watched...you stopped completely...fact...so that will leave to now..."_

The third hive, much as he wanted to ignore it, also had a strange mess of blended words:

_"Being with watching, listening...spaceships where aliens know everything done...that killed...then slashed...didn't them...you of course helped...you paranoia desirable...where is now she heard...the Martians right then...are what talk...and for you...girl adopting their crazy...find you...the real you...like you...stalking you...are in...are insane...actually, speaking, right?"_

Raphael drifted to the right of the garden and ventured through another bush tunnel. Strange as they were, those bees were certainly food for thought. He pondered what they meant about aliens, space ships, some girl not liking his ghost and...murder. The man killed himself, it was a suicide! What did they mean by aliens and space ships? Was the man obsessed with UFO's? That would explain why the girl doesn't like him. It was _him_ that was the psycho!

_"Those bees were all a bunch of liars!"_ The ghost continued to gripe as they left that portion of the garden.

"Didn't I tell you to chill?" Raph groaned. "I just said they can't harm you because you're already dead. As if you'd listen to me, anyway...moron..."

A creepy-looking spider lurked within the branches of this next tunnel, but Raphael knew it couldn't do harm to either of them. The bright sunshine told him he was entering a new area full of more weeds as well as more unanswered questions. The next section looked rather inviting with a green and white checkered floor and a beautiful yet inactive water fountain. Two steel figures of a man and woman danced in the center of the fountain, looking quite content with each other. The front end was cut out in orange square tiles to make the appearance of the sunlight beaming down on the couple. It was a very happy scene, perhaps too cheery for him.

"Let me guess. This fountain is supposed to represent you and that girl you like, right?" Raph waited, getting no reply. "Oh, who the hell knows? I never cared for stupid lawn furniture, anyway. Hmm?" Raph blinked and peered behind the fountain. "What have we here..." Built on the other side of the orange square tile was a small wooden shed, possibly a room where there could be some better clues to this strange world. Raph found the door and stepped inside, gazing around at all of the garden tools and accessories.

_"Oh, yeah. I'm a gardener."_ The man spoke up quietly. _"This is my shed."_

"Could have fooled me, Einstein." Raph muttered. "Well, I've seen enough. Let's--" He went to leave, but the door slammed shut in his face, indicating his ghost wanted to further investigate. "Ohhhkay, let's look around."

The shed was not only uncomfortably tight in space, it was also dark and musty, the perfect atmosphere for a gardener to keep his most precious things. Raphael's eyes looked everywhere, having them meet back with the dirty walls that were mere inches from his face. With the enclosure so cramped and the air so thick, he was starting to become a slight claustrophobic, something he never considered himself after living underground his entire life.

"Let's see we've got a shovel, some fertilizer, a tissue box..." The ghost jokingly sneezed at the mention of the tissues, "...very funny...moron...and...heeey, what's this, Porky?" Raph asked the ghost when his eyes scanned the ground, coming in contact with two peepholes in the wall. Stooping down, his face met with a circular light as he peered out one hole, suddenly feeling like he was peeking into a girl's shower room in the movie _Porky's_. The peepholes had a piece of wood that could slide from left to right, giving him two different views outside. A planted pine tree appeared back at him with a mirror attached to the pot. Strange. Why would this guy have a peephole looking out to a potted plant?

Raphael forced himself out of the shed and walked over to some identical planted trees, all having mirrors attached to their pots. The mirrors must reflect off of some view beyond the gardens, but he couldn't figure out exactly where. The man had made sure whatever he liked to look at, he would assemble the mirrors accordingly. Raphael turned one of the plants to face it in another direction, then turned another, still unsure of what he was doing.

"This should bounce off the others onto something. All right, Porky, let's see what we've got here now...hello?"

The ghost stared at the hedges with a groan. _"I hate these weeds."_

"Deal with it!" Raph shouted back. Returning to the shed, he dropped down again and stared through one of the peepholes. The sight made his eyes light up. A neighbor's window came into view in the mirror's reflection and something was written on various panes of glass:

_Leave me  
alone freak!_

"Who the hell lives there?" Raph asked, feeling guilty for the price of his curiosity. The neighbor must have known about this man's prying eyes and they were definitely giving a message of pure anger. "Wait, don't tell me, that girl lives there. The one you like, right?"

The ghost peered in to see. _"Looks kind of like her window...I think she's trying to tell me something!"_

"And I thought I had problems..." Raph circled back around at the fountain's edge, giving it another size up. He was satisfied to know he was getting one step ahead of what was going on here. Within the man's shed, he not only stored tools, he used it to spy on some girl he liked. He wished he got a more clear response from the bees. Then again, the idea of obtaining information from some honey-producing insects would be too weird to explain to the others when he got back!

With this area having nothing more for him to offer, he slipped back through the hole, past the beehives, and on to a new section of the garden. He had hoped he was reaching the end soon. The grass and flower pollen were becoming too much for his hay fever. Along the newfound trail, he paused at a nice quiet bench big enough for two. Resting on top of the bench was a small, red heart carved out of wood. Three nails, two on either side and one in the center, were punctured within as if holding the little craft together. Raphael smirked to the center nail. It looked like the heart was struck by a love arrow. _How romantic...how revolting,_ he thought to himself.

"What's this, Cupid?" Raph loomed over the heart with a feeling of nausea.

_"I believe I made that."_ The ghost said thoughtfully. Raphael read a white triangular paper attached to the heart: Key To The Stars. The ghost recognized it even more and sounded thrilled. _"I did! I made it for her. We're going away together."_

"The only place you're going is six feet under. Moron. What are these nails for? Incase she says no and you pierce her own heart?" Raph reached out and touched the center nail. The nail pulled in half-way and stopped while the left nail pushed outward. He pulled the center nail again, getting the right nail to pull out next. Finally, he pulled the left nail until they all snapped out and fell to the ground. "Simple little contraption." Peering closer, he stared at the contents inside and made a face to it. Numbers were written on a piece of paper the size of a fortune from a fortune cookie. "It's just some numbers. Do you feel lucky yet?"

Raphael memorized the numbers and continued forward through yet another tunnel. The path carried him upward, this time through some wood steps and out to a very familiar clearing. Pausing at the end of the tunnel, he could feel his mouth unhinge just a little bit. He was at the gazebo again, however this one looked under construction with some of the circular side walls missing. A sudden thought of seeing his family rushed through his head, then quickly went away. This was where he last saw them, before he was taken away to this new dimension. If the gazebo was his entrance here, it must also be his exit...back home!

The time it took him to reach the top of the stairs was mere seconds. His heart began to pound, his senses almost on fire, and then, total silence. A full three-sixty turn, a quick glance up to the ceiling, and nothing happened. Raphael started to get agitated. This was the way back, he just knew it! But, how? Finally, he dropped his head and spied a wooden door in the floor boards. Eyes widened, he collapsed on the door and tried to pry it open.

"Come on! Open up! Please, open! Moron, what the hell do I do now?" Again, the ghost said nothing. Raph was starting to grow tired of not getting answers when he needed them. This was the way home, the way back to his family, and the door was locked! "There's gotta be a switch somewhere..." Raph trampled down the stairs and circled the gazebo, looking all over for some sort of lever, a switch, or...a red button. Raph paused at the button and heaved a big sigh. This should do the trick of going up, going in, and finally going down the gazebo.

_"What's this thing do?" _The ghost asked bewildered.

"Probably opens the wood floor in the gazebo. Moron." Raph pushed the button and heard the door open upstairs. "Yes! Homeward bound!" Skipping a few steps, his smile grew wide to the open floorboards, then quickly faded. Underneath the wood was a caged door made of steel, also closed and locked. The final piece to the puzzle was below within the gazebo itself. He just knew it. Raph's heart began to pound against his chest as he threw himself upon the door and again tried to pry it open. He struggled till his invisible fingers began to ache. "God, not another friggin' door!"

_"Damn it!" _The ghost hissed.

"Shut up, you! I'm trying to..." Raph paused and stared at something. "...concentrate." Squinting to the door, he found a combination lock right in front of his face. Panting with a laugh, he knew exactly what to do now. The ghost, however, was still slow as ever.

_"This looks familiar, but I can't remember the combination."_

"I said, shut up! Let me handled this." Raph had a hunch what the combination was and started to spin the dials around. The sound of a click echoed in his ears. "Got it! Jeez, man, what the hell would you do without me? No, wait, I know. Just hang around!" Raph chuckled to himself as he began the descend into the gazebo. The chuckling almost stopped instantly when he paused half way down the ladder. Straight ahead of him were a series of white and red lit candles, a letter, and a picture of a smiling girl with dark hair. Oh, dear lord. It was a shrine. He had a shrine for this girl. Now, it was becoming more than just being friends. This guy was obsessed with her!

"What the hell is all this crap?" Raph asked in disgust. "And that girl...is it--"

_"That's my Mandy."_ The ghost beamed with pride. _"She's coming with me!" _Raphael snatched up the letter and began to read it, shaking his head in utter disbelief. Before he could ask, the ghost was way ahead of him. _"She wrote this to me..." _

"Yeah, right, I figured that." There was still that hint of happiness in the ghost's tone that he couldn't stand. Raph rolled his eyes and continued to read:

_"Brice,  
I don't even want to write this, but you won't listen to me. Please believe me, I don't like you and I want you to leave me alone! I don't want your gifts. You can keep that stupid heart or whatever it is. I don't believe in flying saucers and I want you to stop talking to me about them!_

_Never,  
Mandy_

_P.S. My Dad said that if you don't stop bothering me, he's going to fire you!"_

"Oh, crap." Raph whispered. "This is insane. And you probably didn't listen to one damn word of this, did you?"

_"She has the prettiest handwriting..."_ Brice said dreamily.

"Jesus, man! Get it through your empty skull! The girl doesn't like you! Why are you torturing yourself with this? Damn, this has gone too far; I don't even want to think what's below me." Raph growled and looked down the ladder. It was the only direction he could go. He had to find out why Brice died or else stay in this god-forsaken world forever. Reaching the bottom, he knew he had stepped into a place known as the Twilight Zone. The first thing he spotted at the base of the ladder were three pieces of brown luggage, the name marked 'Brice Walker' and address 'Planet Earth' on a tag.

"No. This can't be happening. This can't be for real..." Raph's voice drifted weakly. The pressure was beginning to way down on him as he took in a breath to calm himself. All the feelings of anger and calling Brice a moron had suddenly left his thoughts. Now, there was only one thing that currently played in his mind, and it was a thing he dreaded most. He knew this thing quite well and he hated it deeply. It was known as fear.

_"We'd better get ready. They'll be here soon..."_ Brice said, now with a hint of anxiety growing in his voice.

"This has to be dream. Just like Shadow said. I'll close my eyes and when I open them, I'll be back home." Raph bowed his head and closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. Just as he he thought, the underground gazebo room and its contents were still there. "Damn!" Raph lifted his head with a sigh. It was best to start looking around for clues that would help get him back home. The answer to Brice's death had to be in here somewhere.

The room, like the gazebo, was circular and contained a series of what a typical fan boy of UFO's would keep or create. Next to the ladder was a light bulb turned into a little spacey contraption. Brice tied a metal ring around the chain with wooden round pieces representing the moon, the sun, and planets hanging from thin wires. To the far left side of the ladder appeared to be the living room section in this burrow of a hole. There was a pole of three cone-shaped reading lamps, a wooden table with scraps of flying saucer paper crafts, and a god-awful rainbow checkered chair that not even Casey's grandmother would dare own in her house. Raphael's eyes went straight to the chair's seat cushion where he found a local newspaper, giving him the exact date of when this all took place.

"Local News, Summeria Sentinel, Thursday, September 21..." he swallowed a bit. "1959." The majority of the headlines were all about flying saucers and witnesses discovering UFO's in the area. Raph looked over the top article first. "Unexplained Objects Seen In Night Sky. Speculation runs high as numerous eye-witnesses come forward." His brow dropped next as he read on:

_Fern Valley - Reports have been made to local authorities of a series of five lights of varying intensity flying in the sky above our city. Local military officials have been investigating over 200 reports of these "UFO's", and currently have no explanation for their presence. In the past two weeks alone, at least 100 residents of the Fern Valley District have witnessed strange lights flying in an erratic pattern which includes spins, dives and temporary hovering. In virtually all reported cases, the lights fly close to the ground after hovering for a few minutes, then seem to disappear from view instantly. However, while the witnesses were observing the objects, the lights often appeared to strobe and flicker, which reduced visibility of the crafts themselves. There are no reported cases of the objects landings, nor are there any clues as to who might be piloting the objects. A local radio station, WSTW, is offering a reward to any witness who can produce an authentic photo of the "pilot" involved._

Another article below had a similar case, this one involving one of the local yokels. "Pilot Reports UFO." Raph frowned to the photo of the pilot before reading on. "He should also report to a decent barber. What's with the stupid crew-cut? Oh, yeah, this is the fifties, when crew-cuts were the IN look. Thank God I wasn't born in this era, let alone born with hair! So, what's your story..."

_West Highland - Bill Peace, a thirty-two year old resident of West Highland, reports the following incident, which occurred while Bill was flying his single-engine plane at 4,300 feet. As Bill reports it, a bright flash suddenly appeared over the left wing. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Peace witnesses a formation of dazzling objects flying across the sky at amazing speed._

"Well, that's enough of that. And what does this other moron have to say?" Raph skimmed over to the right at another photo of a man named Larry Harrison, looking rather spooked. "Local Citizen Hears Aliens...looks more like he saw them rather than heard them."

_Fern Valley - One witness to this week's bizarre events is Larry Harrison of Fern Valley District. Larry claims to have received a message from one of the lights. "They're aliens all right," said the disturbed resident. "When those lights went overhead, my ham radio started acting up, then I heard some strange voices talking. We better get ready, because they are coming to take some of us back with them into space!"_

Raph paused and looked all around. "Yo, Brice, are you reading this? Looks like you're not the only loony loser in this town after all." He had read enough and dropped the paper back down on the cushion, gazing back up to the wall in front of him. "Hmmm..."

Above the chair were numerous things all pertaining to the skies above. A beautiful star chart hung to the right with four photos of the galaxy, two on either side of the chart. To the left were some black and white photographs of the surrounding woods outside, all of them capturing disc-shaped objects floating in the sky. Raphael was half-convinced these were real sightings caught on film, but just to make sure, Brice wrote, "PROOF!" in big letters above these photos. It seemed as though everything in this room appeared science fiction, or at least, had a futuristic taste to it. Even a clock with blue planets for numbers looked fitting for the astronomically-obsessed type. Yes, this man needed a normal social life, one that didn't require his head trapped in limbo beyond the clouds.

Raphael turned again and almost tripped his spirit over some protruding boxes. Next to the wood table was a much larger one made of blue marble. On top laid some discarded tools and a wooden plank with a carved-out body of a bird. He remembered when he first arrived at the gazebo, he noticed a portion of the side wall missing. This could very well have been the last piece of craft Brice worked on before he hung himself in the solarium. Unless someone else hung him?

Above the tool table were three notebook papers tacked to the wall, all of which featured draft sketches of the gazebo in progress. It was so sad to see all this work put into such a thing when it all-knowingly laid to waste in the future. Brice painstakingly measured the size of it, the depth of it, and even carved the images of birds for a girl and one girl only. Raphael read the title of the left-most paper out loud.

"Mandy's Gazebo. He did this all for her." Peering closer to a sketch of the roof, he could see Brice took a red pencil and colored in a flag waving on a pole at the top. "The signal flag. A signal for what? For...them?" One more turn and he met face to face with a large, steel door, almost like a door used to seal in people during an air raid. "Damn, that's a huge door."

_"Whatever is in there must be a pretty big secret." _Brice said supiciously.

Raphael sized up the door from every angle. This was obviously a last minute addition for sure; the whole look of it clashed with all the other furniture in the room. Tiny bulbs of light covered the entire frame of the door to give it an appearance of walking into a room full of mystery. With nowhere else left to go, he knew it was a room full of the remaining clues to get out of this place. This was it. This was the door that should have been marked in big letters: EXIT.

"Big secret or not, it's my ticket out of here." Raph approached the door and noticed a white flag hanging on a hook. A lanyard stood right next to it, vacant of anything except the rope itself. "Let's see what'll happen if I put this on here." Raph moved the flag onto the lanyard and pulled it downward, turning its color from white to red. "What the...?" Raph backed away to look down, seeing a pool of red substance seeping out from the door. "Please, tell me that's just paint." He groaned as the the flag continued to pull upward through a hole and onto the gazebo's roof outside. A circular image of a red flag appeared on the door.

_"That oughta get there attention."_ Brice sounded pleased. _"I hear they like red."_

Below the red flag image was a small, wooden lid, perhaps the button to open the steel door. Raph pulled it open and looked inside. Yep, it was a button, six red ones to be exact. Just like the steel door to the gazebo's ladder, the lock also required a combination of some sort. This one, however, was far different than the wooden heart craft combination. Raphael stared long and hard, wondering which buttons to press. Brice felt the same way.

_"This reminds me of something else, but I can't quite place it."_

"Wait. Think back to everything we've been through. Everything we've seen. And don't forget...this is Mandy's gazebo...yet she wants to be left alone. No. It was..." Raph sighed and, with remembering a sentence, pushed some of the buttons, hearing a click sound. "Whoa! I got it! Jeez, that was just a guess!" The door calmly squeaked open to reveal just an average storage closet. The pool of the red substance came from a red paint can turned over on a shelf full of a few other cans. No, wait. That wasn't just red paint. Raph gasped and nearly fell backwards at what he saw lying on the floor in a crumpled heap.

"Oh, my God...you...you murderous son-of-a-bitch...you killed her!"

_"Mandy?" _Brice whimpered. _"Mandy...why'd you have to stop screaming? I thought they were coming and-- and you were fighting me...but, then they never came after all..."_

Raph stared in outrage. "You're lucky to be dead, you bastard, because if you weren't, I would have beaten you till--"

_"Wait! Shhh!"_

The two paused simultaneously to hear an unusual sound coming from outside. It almost sounded like a twirping motor coming from...no, it can't be. From...a space ship? Brice reached over and punched all the light bulbs out, leaving them in the dark for a few seconds. Then, above their heads, the motor grew louder and a red light appeared in the center of the hole.

_"It's them..." _ Brice spun around with Raphael to look at the ladder, watching the three-piece luggage magically levitate up through the hole. The motor sound increased and the red light began to flicker with a strobing effect. _"They're here..."_

It was happening. It was actually happening. Raphael was so scared, he had reached the point of either losing self control or passing out in a dead faint. The force that once brought him here had returned to claim yet another soul. Having no sympathy for their emotions, it dragged them both under the red light, spun them side-ways, and bumped them against the steel door. The steel door opened and slammed repeatedly with a squeak as if unsure how to react to this unknown presence. Beyond the steel door, the roof of the gazebo had blown off, the sky became a swirling blood red, lightning flashed all over, the spaceship twirping grew louder, and for once, Raphael couldn't utter a single word. Brice, meanwhile, went from being totally excited to totally frightened out of his wits.

_"Wait! Something's not right!"_ The steel door flew off its hinges and was hurled into the center of the swirling red skies. A bright, reddish orb flew out right behind the door as if being sucked into the center like a powerful vacuum cleaner. _"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"_

Brice's spirit shot out of Raphael's body like a rocket and hurled itself upward into the sky, his screams fading as it went. Before he could take a quick breather, the wooden floorboards slammed shut in his face, sealing off all the horror scenes beyond. Next, his body was heavily thrown backwards through what now seemed like a dark tunnel, all the way down until he felt his shell smack against something hard.

Blinking, his vision was filled with multicolor images again, just like when he first saw the side view of Brice's head. No, it wasn't a head this time. It was a view of the gazebo's ceiling. Finally, his vision returned to a normal state and he saw the ceiling turn a darker shade of brown. Night time. It was dark outside. Crickets could be heard chirping in the distance along with voices approaching from the wooden log path. They were familiar voices calling out to him, calling out his name. A piece of metal clung to his head and it felt as cold as ice. Raphael reached up to touch it, smiling weakly as he did.

"It's that...thing. That...headset...I...oh, God...I'm back."

**********

A.N.: Whew! Thanks for being so paitent with me, and an even bigger thanks for voting this fic for "Best Supernatural"! I really appreciated it! Chapter 10 is finished and I hope to get 11 up soon! Bye for now!


	10. Chapter 10: Sink or Swim

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 10: Sink or Swim_

The exhausted turtle welcomed all the help he could get down the gazebo staircase and even farther on down the wooden log path. Leonardo quickly took a hold of one shoulder while Donatello raced up to grab the other. Raphael looked to them with a heavy sigh. He knew he could walk, but his feet didn't feel quite up to par. The sight of his family and the support of his brothers' arms left a long lasting comfort inside his weakened state.

Raphael looked to his surroundings next, feeling a strange sensation wash over him. Something was different here; he could sense it. The cold wind brushed against his cheeks, the trees swayed back and forth, and the crickets chirped as if nothing was wrong. Yet, a lingering doubt told him they were in far deeper trouble than before. While he was away from his own time, it seemed as though the force, similar to what took him to Brice's world, had taken possession of everything and anything in its path. That meant it was also controlling their own existence, their own world, and...their own time.

"Guys--"

"Easy, Raph, just hang on." Don said quietly as he took careful footing down the set of logs. "You've probably got a lot of explaining to do, but first, we want to get you back in the house before you collapse."

At the bottom of the grass hill stood three onlookers, waiting for the arrival of the other three as they made their way down the winding path. The three smiled and gave a silent thank you to whoever or whatever it was that safely returned their loved one.

"Uncle Raph?" A familiar voice popped up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Hey, Shadow." Raph lifted half a smile to her. He then glanced to the furry creature standing next to her. "Sensei..."

"My son..." Splinter reached out to touch his arm. "You have no idea how relieved I am to see you are all right." He gestured to Michaelangelo and Shadow. "I know I speak for all of us."

"Yeah, we were getting a little worried about you." Mike stepped away from Shadow, watching the AMBER headset swing innocently in Donatello's free hand. Splinter looked to his agitated son and knew exactly what he was thinking. "Soooo, how did it go?"

Raph kept his smirk strong. "Oh, man. The things I gotta tell you--"

"Can wait, Raph." Leo said rather sternly. "Your body is totally wiped of energy. It's probably a chore for you to even talk."

"Naaaw, I'm cool doing that." Raph answered, his voice sounding slurred. "Donny...your flashing thing is flashing."

Don blinked with a nod. "I know, Raph. Don't worry about it."

The flashing PeeK against his belt went ignored for several seconds. Donatello knew what the message was without looking at it. To stop it from flashing, he instructed Shadow to take it and view the screen, getting the same results as before. 'Psionic fragment isolated. Insufficient power to process.' Another fragment entered Roxanne's headset, but the balance was not yet complete.

Reaching the front porch, Donatello ran inside to throw the main electrical switch upstairs. He quickly noted whenever anyone returned with AMBER, the power overloaded the circuits and caused a blackout to the entire house. They were all sitting around in the living room when the incident occurred, telling them Raphael had either returned from his unusual trip, or something far worse had happened.

Leonardo and Michaelangelo agreed to put their brother on one of the sofas in the living room. The long flight of stairs would have been too much for Raphael to handle. Shadow heated up another cup of hot tea for the weary turtle, deciding to use the same cup as before. It would have been pointless to waste an extra one. Raphael sipped it slowly, enjoying the tea as it cascaded down his throat. When invisible, every sensation he described was exactly what Leonardo felt during the course of his journey. The rest, however, was entirely different.

"The man, Brice, was a total nut case." Raph started. "He was not only obsessed with this girl, Mandy, he was heavily into flying saucers and thought some aliens from outer space were going to take him away...heh, in the end, they did! Saw the whole thing myself..."

As he continued with his story, Michaelangelo announced he had to use the bathroom. Leonardo offered to come along, remembering the 'safety in numbers' rule, and ended up tagging along behind his brother. Without warning, Michaelangelo suddenly paused and rested against the wall. Leonardo also paused and gave him a puzzling expression.

"Mike--"

"Sorry, Leo." Mike looked over Leonardo's shoulder into the living room. "I'm sure you wanted to hear his story; I just didn't want to listen anymore."

"It's fine. He probably won't mind repeating it for the rest of our lives. Are you all right?" Leo frowned when he shook his head no. "You're nervous about doing it, aren't you?" As a response, Michaelangelo hugged his arms and lowered his eyes. From the looks of it, he was nervous and ashamed. "You know, you don't have to do it if you don't want to--"

"Yes, I do." Mike hissed. "Haven't you noticed? So far, the two ghosts that have been helped made a sort of bond with you and Raph. He played Brice's tonal residue and got a blast of cold air in his face while you got a shock from touching Margaret's door and seeing her face in the bureau mirror."

"How did you know about the shock--"

"Shadow told me." Mike quickly interrupted. "My point is, those weren't just coincidental occurrences. Those ghosts became attached to you guys and that's why you were both chosen to help them. Already, I've become attached by playing the tonal residue at the boathouse and seeing a monster in the lake!"

Leo looked to him oddly. "What monster? That glow of light we all saw?"

Mike shook his head. "No, I saw something floating in the lake when I was waiting for the PeeK thing to go off. There was a...thing in the water; it looked like a demonic clown. All it said was, 'help, meeee' and I knew right then and there, I'm doomed to help it! I know I have to, but I'm just freaking out at the same time!"

"Listen, Mike," Leo placed a hand to his shoulder and looked to him closely, "the first thing you need to do is calm down. I understand how you feel and it's perfectly natural. If you want, you can go upstairs and have some time to yourself. I don't want you to feel rushed if you're not ready to go."

"Okay, Leo." Mike sighed. "Why not? We've got all the time in the world."

Leo equally sighed. "I know."

**********

Raphael sat up a little more to complete the last of his story to his remaining audience. Shadow occasionally looked to Donatello with a few escaped yawns while he nodded repeatedly. Splinter sat quietly and listened to everything his son had to say, noting the many times he said, _you just had to be there!_ to them.

"So, what do you think?" He finally asked.

"Fascinating." Shadow and Don answered simultaneously.

Splinter nodded once. "I am certain, that, despite the crimes Mr. Walker committed, his soul is now in a much better place. You have finally freed him from his punishment of wandering around in that world, and I am also certain he will no longer haunt these premises again."

"Exactly." Raph moved to a sitting position and slurped down the last of his tea. "Now, all we have to do is get Mikey down to the boathouse with AMBER attached to his noggin, deal with that spirit, and then we'll have all the fragments Roxanne needs!"

"Um, not right now." Leo said, re-entering the living room. Raphael shot him a confused look. "Just thought I'd let you know Mike's upstairs resting for a bit. He's not ready to use AMBER just yet."

"Huh?" Raph blinked to him. "Wait, I'm the one who was practically carried down from the gazebo and Mike's tired?"

"No, not tired." Leo looked away. "More like he's nervous--"

"Well, then tell him to snap out of it!" Raph stood up, feeling a little stronger from the tea and rising anger. "I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to! Do you realize it's been like 5 hours since we've been here?"

"Um...Raph?" Don lifted a finger as he watched his brother march over to look out one of the windows. "We need to, um, talk about that."

"Talk about what?" Raph asked without looking.

"Um...about how long we've been here." Don caught Shadow stand up and close her eyes briefly as Leonardo went to stand next to her. Splinter remained seated and shook his mangy head. "According to my watch, it hasn't been five hours, and um, according to the clock in this room, there hasn't been any hours at all."

Raph lifted his head and rounded on them. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"There's no time..." Shadow whispered, hearing Leonardo groan to those words from behind. "Uncle Raph, we...we have not had any hours pass. That clock on the mantle has said 7:55 and it hasn't moved."

"So, what? Maybe it needs new batteries." Raph stepped over to the mantle and lifted the clock to hear a ticking sound. "Could be just dead, you know. I mean, that sounds absurd...having no time. Time can't stop!"

"Maybe not in the outside world, but somehow, it stopped where we are." Don stood up next and crossed over to the mantle, gazing at the clock. "As soon as we arrived here, my watch said 6:45. I didn't pay close attention to the time until we started using the PeeK to pick up tonal residue. It was around 7:45 when I last looked at my watch. I know damn well after all the spirit encounters, finding Roxanne, and Leo slipping through a portal, we've been here longer than an hour."

"This is crazy..." Raph looked away, turning his gaze onto Leonardo. "You're not buying this are you?" Leonardo sighed and bowed his head. "Then, you're both losing it!"

"No, we're not!" Leo shouted more than he intended and continued in a softer tone. "Raph, whatever is keeping us here has also stopped the course of time from continuing. You're right, it's been about five hours and, by now, the time would be closer to midnight. After you left from the gazebo, we returned to the house and something didn't seem right when I looked at the clock."

"Hmph." Raph grunted. "Something didn't seem right from the start, and you know, none of this would have happened if we didn't agreed to..." He paused and looked to Shadow. Her face was deadpan, dark circles had multiplied under her eyes, and his last sentence made her head bow to the floor. "Oh, damn it..." Raph growled and stomped past them toward the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Leo asked.

"Heh, nowhere, I guess." He said with a snort. "Gonna go check the refrigerator. We may have electricity, but if time has truly stopped, then we're going to have a serious problem with the perishable food items." Before Leonardo could retort or get the last word in, Raph walked out of the room, punching a fist against the wall as he went. Luckily, it didn't break the plaster.

"Hey!" Don almost went after him, but paused and turned to Shadow. She looked ready to either explode into a barrage of shouts or cry a river of tears. "Don't listen to him, he had no right to say--"

"Yes, he did. You know it's true." Shadow said through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry I got you in this mess, guys." Leonardo squeezed her shoulders as Splinter calmly rose up, patted her arm, and proceeded to locate Michaelangelo to see how he was doing.

Donatello looked to her sadly, wondering what to do now. With all the philosophy he studied, he couldn't figure out how it was humanly, or even spiritually, possible to stop time in its tracks. He suddenly thought of Stephen King's book, _The Langoliers_. It was a story about a group of people falling through a rip in the fabric of time to relive a moment discarded from the present. He knew they were in the present, but it was as if they were on a record player with the needle stuck in one place. Looking out a window at the trees, he prayed no such thing as a Langolier would come chomp its way over and eat them alive.

Shadow sighed and gazed around the quiet living room. She hated being blamed for her mistakes, or worse, looking like some sort of villain. Raphael was no help either. After what he said, it made her seem as if she deliberately forced them out to some deserted, unknown place. She tilted her head to the window. Taking a walk sounded like a good idea. She had to get out of the house for just a few minutes.

"I need some air." She said briskly with a turn on her heel.

"I'll join you, kiddo." Don placed the PeeK back onto his belt and buttoned up his coat. "Besides, I think it's safe to say that, until all the spirits are at rest, we've got plenty of time on our hands."

Leonardo took a step back and watched her head out the front door with Donatello in tow. With a sigh, he turned and headed for the kitchen to see what Raphael was doing. A perishable food item check sounded like a lame excuse to hide the real fact of being hungry. However, depending on how long they'd be here, it may not be a bad idea after all.

**********

Up on the second floor, Splinter found Michaelangelo stretched out on Roxanne's bed. In his hands was her notebook diary from the end table drawer. Although too short for his tastes, it was interesting to read about other people's dreams and try to analyze the things they experienced. Many times, the turtle himself would wake up after a deep sleep and begin to write out the images he had just witnessed moments ago. Sometimes, if he was lucky, he would get on Donatello's computer and type at lightning speed everything he can remember before the images faded from memory.

Splinter sat upright on the bed, eyes closed and mind focused on another place in meditation. He too, like Leonardo, enjoyed the ceiling fan breezing down on him; he almost wanted to ask Donatello if he could have one installed in his own room. With the room quiet enough, he wanted to continue finding Roxanne and try to get in contact with her. However, with Michaelangelo in the room, he knew it wouldn't be quiet for long.

"Hey, sensei?" Splinter lifted one eye to him. "Did you read these dreams Roxy wrote?"

"No, Michaelangelo, I have not." Before he closed his eyes again, he caught him getting up off the bed. He stood for a moment, looked out into the hall, went to go, then stopped. He went to speak, but closed his mouth. Splinter sighed and did a low 'ahem' to get his attention. "Is something troubling you?"

"Yes...no...maybe. Um..." He looked to the hall and hung his head. "I gotta stay awake, but...would it be rude of me to splash some cold water on my face? I mean, I haven't done much of anything since we got here because of all the spirits around and...um, well, what do you think?"

"I think that is fine with me." Splinter smirked pleasantly. "I see no harm in you doing that, Michaelangelo. Feel free to go wash up, but, just incase something should happen, keep the door unlocked."

"Right." Mike nodded and headed over to the bathroom. To his relief, the atmosphere in the house felt almost normal without the disturbance of two ghosts haunting it. Even though the third was all the way down at the lake, the whole place didn't seem fully at rest. Roxanne continued to lie in limbo while he and the others acted like they were under house arrest, prisoners doomed to only dwell within the house itself or walk to a certain limit in the great outdoors.

Once inside the bathroom, he closed the door behind him, but didn't lock it. He knew better than to do that. Turning to the mirror, he made a face of disgust. The reflection revealed his reptilian self, but there was an added look of no sleep and lots of stress. His skin was a lighter shade of green and dark circles were forming under his eyes. He was staring at a twin of Donatello! Michaelangelo bent down and splashed the cold water on his face, feeling the element almost work its magical, soothing powers. He splashed a second time, nearly drinking the liquid as it fell upon his parting lips. Looking up to the mirror again, his face was not only wet, but a smile had appeared. The water felt so good to his skin, he knew he had to have more of it. Behind him in the mirror was a view of the stand-only shower. His smiled broadened.

"Why not?" He asked himself. "We have plenty of time."

Michaelangelo removed his boots and placed them near the window. Next, he removed all of his clothing and placed it neatly on the sink counter. Finally, he found some fluffy towels in one of the cabinets and placed them beside the sink. With a smile still present, he crept over to the shower door and opened it up, stepping into the little room made of dark blue marble tile. Fortunately, a bar of soap was sitting in one corner. Irish Spring. He was going to smell quite divine when finished, and what was wrong with that? After what he'd been through tonight, he deserved this. The faucet turned on and sprayed a welcome of hot water to his weary feet. Seconds later, the overhead nozzle sprayed from top to bottom. This was going to be a wonderful treat.

Splinter heard the shower running in the bathroom; no doubt it was Michaelangelo in there. He was going to be a clean boy; just the way he liked his sons. The ceiling fan above continued to swirl the cool breezes upon him, making his eyelids grow heavy. He looked over to the hallway; there were no sounds coming from downstairs. With the others tending to other things, he figured it wouldn't hurt to take a quick rat nap. Turning on his side, he hugged the pillow underneath and slowly began to drift off to sleep, letting the last sound of the flowing water echo in his ears.

**********

"Raph?" Leo entered the kitchen to find him resting against the island counter with a pretzel bag in front of him. "What are you doing?"

"Is this a trick question?" He asked through chews. "I'm testin' the food. Tastes fine to me."

"Did you check in the refrigerator?" Leo asked, but went to check for himself. Roxanne needed to do more shopping, but everything in the fridge looked normal and unspoiled. "Don't see any science projects yet."

"That's now." Raph said. "But, we should keep an eye on it. So, where is everyone?"

"Mike's still upstairs. Splinter went to go talk with him." Leo reached for the water jug in the fridge. "Shadow went outside with Don to get some air." He gave him an evil look in the corner of his eye and he knew Raphael caught it. "You know, I really didn't appreciate what you said to her."

"What, you don't appreciate me telling her the truth--"

"I don't appreciate you treating her that way!" Leo threw back.

"Hey," Raph pointed to him, "she didn't cry, did she?"

"What the hell difference does that make?!" Leo was so appalled, he slammed the water jug down on the counter with a heavy thud. "Jeez, Raph, I can't believe you act like it's no big deal!"

"No, I'd say being stuck out here for the rest of our lives is more of a big deal!" Raph growled and tossed the pretzel bag aside. Five seconds passed and Leonardo only stood there with arms crossed and squinting eyes. "Don't give me that look--"

"How do you expect me to look at you? You hurt her, Raph--"

"I upset her, okay?" He corrected. "I got a little carried away, but you know I would never hurt her, Leo. Not now, not ever."

"Then, maybe you should go apologize." Leo said hoarsely and coughed a little. His throat was starting to feel scratchy from yelling so much.

Raph leaned against the counter. "I will, when I'm good and ready to."

"Fine, Raph, whatever you say." _I'll believe it when I see it. _Leo gave him a surly glare before sipping the water.

**********

Outdoor life immediately greeted Shadow and Donatello once they stepped off the front porch. Along the dirt path, the wind continued to pick up, the crickets incessantly chirped to themselves, and they could see the clouds moving overhead. Time was going on for everything else except for them, and Donatello wanted an explanation. He wanted to know why Shadow couldn't get a hold of anyone on her phone, or when she and Michaelangelo couldn't find the main road back to civilization.

"Ooh, it's cold out here." Shadow quickly bundled herself up.

Don agreed. "Yeah, it is."

"How can there be any wind if there's no time to move it?" She heard a low grunt.

"I don't know, Shadow. I'm trying to figure out a lot of what's going on around here."

Donatello dropped his brow to think it over inside his head. Something had cut off all means of contacting the outside world and it was starting to test their sanity, or worse, their anger. Raphael only appeared frustrated at this point, but what if he suddenly lashed out due to cabin fever? He once remembered a time when Splinter quarantined his brother from a contagious flu bug. He not only trashed his room, he tried to destroy their entire home!

As they walked down the path, he began to feel a slight pain between his eyes, and it seemed to increase whenever she asked a question he couldn't answer. The headache could not come at a better time; the best he could do was try to ignore it. He attempted to ignore her as well, but it was a little hard to do when there was nowhere else to go.

"Do you hear the crickets chirp?"

"Yes..." Don droned quietly, rubbing his temple with one hand.

"But, if time stopped, how would they--"

"I don't know..." Don groaned, feeling the pain deepen. A headache was definitely coming on, perhaps a migraine by the magnitude of it. _If she asks just one more question, I am going to lose it!_ He thought to himself. The two continued their walk along the path in hopeful quietness. Overhead, the moon peeked out from a cloud drifting across the night sky. Shadow craned her head to look at the powerful glow giving off an eerie blue light upon their forms.

"The moon came out."

"So, it did." He looked up with a squint.

"But, how can it do that if time stopped--"

"I don't know!!!" Don screamed, causing Shadow to jump to one side. The headache increased to its full level, the pain almost bursting his cranium wide open. "Look, I don't know what's going on with our time! I haven't figured it out clearly enough to give you a precise answer, okay?" Pausing, Don's mouth began to quiver as if he were in shock. "Oh..."

Shadow watched him fall to his knees and cradle his head in his hands, not only feeling the pain of the headache, but now feeling the guilt for yelling at her. He couldn't look to her; he couldn't see the expression on her face, but the silence was making him curious. Slowly and warily, he gazed up to her, seeing no anger, sorrow, or surprise. She apparently looked too stunned to make any sort of reaction to him.

"I'm sorry..." Don breathed out as he started to rise onto his feet. His head was still pounding and he had to take the movement very slow. "Shadow, I didn't mean to yell at you...I-- "

"It's okay." She whispered. "You're under a lot of stress and you just suddenly cracked from the pressure. If you want, I'll be quiet..." Shadow felt a lump in her throat and immediately shut her mouth. Donatello rose to his full height and stared at her soft, glazed eyes. He could tell she was fighting back the tears, but the more she looked to him, the more she lost the battle.

"Please, don't cry." Don choked on his words. "I feel bad enough for yelling the way I did."

"I'm not going to cry." She said with a stiff upper lip. It was tough, but her mouth lifted up into a forced, toothy grin. "I'm fine, see?" Uh, huh, sure. This was painful to watch. Donatello knew she needed a hug, or at least, he needed one to redeem himself. The problem was, if he did such an act, she would lose all of her strength and crumble in a sobbing heap. Instead, he slightly chuckled and leaned an arm out for her to take it.

"Let's just walk, okay? No more questions, no more yelling..."

Shadow nodded with a small smile and they resumed their walk as if nothing happened. He actually felt better after she allowed his emotions to run wild. She, in turn, felt better knowing his conniption was unintentional. It wasn't the first time either; they've had these little outbursts before. On rare occasions, they practically had to leave the lair to have a screaming match in the underground tunnels of the sewer lines. If they were too loud, a referee would come out to break up the argument. It never happened before, but someone above could easily report strange 'noises' coming from a sewer grate. He hated yelling at her, she hated asking questions she wish she knew the answers to, and they both hated this feeling of dual frustration. Their walk certainly had to continue now; the cold night air did absolute wonders to a pair of angry hotheads.

At a turn along the dirt path, the two reached a view of the lake, or the same area her poor Chevy Suburban veered off the road. Shadow turned and looked to the left across the lake's surface, catching the glow of the car's headlights. The car's highlights?

"Uncle Don, look! The headlights are still on!" Shadow climbed down the grass bank and rushed up to the shoreline, staring wide-eyed at her half-sunken car. Donatello followed behind, also staring with disbelief.

"That's impossible. The battery would have died by now."

"Maybe time stopped for my car as well?" Shadow bit her lip, afraid to see his expression. "Sorry, don't answer that."

Don smiled. "I won't. It is, however, strange to see the headlights stay on for so long. It's as if the lake itself is keeping the car alive underwater." Shadow looked to him wide-eyed. "No, that doesn't mean we can rescue it. There's no way the four of us can get it without half-killing ourselves."

"Even if we did get it out, it's water-damaged." She said with deep regret.

Don patted her arm. "You're on GAP Insurance, remember? I'm pretty sure it also has coverage for cars that fall into lakes after the driver veered off the road to avoid hitting a specter." Shadow snorted to that. "Don't worry, it'll all be taken care of when we get back to New York." He took a moment to gaze around the surrounding woods. "That's if we get back to New York."

"Hey, what's that?!" Shadow pointed to a new light glowing next to the boathouse. Bubbles began to disrupt the water as if some sort of motorized vehicle turned itself on under the wooden planks. Before Donatello could answer, Shadow took off for the boathouse. "I'm gonna go see--"

"Er, wait! Man, I knew I should have brought a leash." Don groaned and went running after her. It was so much easier when she was a toddler. Her little legs weren't fast enough and he or one of his brothers could quickly catch her before she wandered off too far. Now, as an adult, her legs were longer than his and she could take longer, wider strides. Shadow jogged along the beach at a fast pace, wondering what strange formation was appearing this time. Reaching the lamppost, she stood at a safe distance to watch the bubbles pop all over like an oversized Jacuzzi. Don finally caught up and panted heavily. "Jeez, did you have to run--"

"Shh! Listen!" Shadow raised a hand to silence him. It was low, but there was a definite sound of someone or something gurgling in the water. "Hello?" Shadow took a few steps onto the wooden planks, gazing downward. "Who's there?"

Don stepped closer. "Shadow, could you please come away from there?"

"It's okay." She shooed him back. "We'll help you if you're in trouble."

"We will?" Don made a face. "I don't think so."

**********

Michaelangelo was rubbing the bar of soap onto his plastron when he thought he heard the sound of voices whispering. His eyes were closed under the water, but his ears could plainly hear it coming from somewhere within the bathroom.

_"Is he there...doyouseehimthere...yessss...I see him..."_

"Hello?" Mike opened her eyes and listened. "Master, are you in here?" Turning to face the glass door, he tried to open it, but the latch refused. "What the...oh, no...!" At his feet, the drain immediately shut by itself and the faucet turned on full blast, allowing the water to slowly rise up. "Hey! Gah! No! Help!"

**********

"Hello? I don't hear anything now." Shadow said quietly.

"Shadow, please come away from the edge." Don waved a beckoning hand to her.

"All right, all right, sheesh, you worry too much!" Shadow turned and went to walk away, feeling something pull at her pant leg. "Hey--" A ghostly-white hand reached up from under the plank and grabbed her foot, pulling her down into the water.

"Shadow!!!" Don screamed as he raced forward to the planks.

Shadow began a slow, floating descent into the dark waters, hearing the gurgle sounds all around her. She tried to swim, but something kept pulling her body closer to the floor of the lake. In a panic, she tried desperately to yank free, feeling her air start to run out from her lungs. Soon, a pair of hollow eyes and a distorted pale face stared back at her, mouthing faint words she could barely understand.

_"Hel....lp....me-ee-ee-ee...."_

**********

"Help me, please!" Mike howled, banging on the glass door at full force. The water continued to flow at a remarkable speed, soon reaching the level of his thighs. "Help me! Somebody get me out of here! Help!"

"Michaelangelo?" A soft voice came to the door. "What is going on?"

"Master!" Mike wailed. "I need help!"

Splinter twisted and door knob, finding it locked. "Open the door! Did I not tell you to lock it--"

"I didn't lock it, honest! Hurry!"

"All right. Hold on, my son...I will get help..." Splinter rushed down the stairs, feeling his heart pound faster when he entered an empty living room. "Leonardo?" He tried the parlor room next, also finding it vacant of occupants. "Where is everyone?" He then heard a familiar argument escalating and decided to follow the voices to the left. "Leonardo! Raphael!" Both turtles nearly jumped two feet when Splinter came bounding through the swinging kitchen door. "Quickly my sons, I need you upstairs. Michaelangelo is trapped in the bathroom!"

"So, what else is new?" Raph snorted. "He's pulled that stunt at home!"

Splinter shook his head. "He is trapped against his own will and I cannot get to him! Please, come with me now!"

The two turtles gawked at each other, dropped what they were doing, and ran off past the parlor room and over to the stairs. Leonardo knew he flew up the stairs so fast, he never touched a single step. Splinter followed behind, but was nowhere near as fast as his agile students.

"Help!" Mike screamed through the glass door. He suddenly remembered when Leonardo almost drowned in a room filling with blood. In this case, his fate was to drown in water, a less gooier substance. The only difference was Leonardo's encounter was only a dream. This was really happening! Leonardo reached the bathroom door first and began twisting the knob and banging on the door. Raphael soon joined him and the two pounded at full force. "Guys, help me--"

"Hang on, Mikey!" Raph shouted through the door.

**********

Donatello, knowing it would take too long to get help, dropped down on his knees and stuck half his body in-between the broken planks. Looking around, he was afraid to admit he could no longer see her. Shadow had given up the battle and floated in one spot while the creature continued to beg for her help.

"Shadow! Damn...that does it!" Taking in a breath, Don leaned farther down under the planks and dropped more of his body into the water. To his relief, his hands brushed across a pair of shoulders and he quickly gripped them, yanking her and himself upward. "Urgh, got you!" Don lifted Shadow onto the planks, carried her to the shore line, and held her up in a sitting position. Some light slaps to her back sent the water spewing out of her mouth onto the sand. Shadow fell into his chest, coughing and shaking from head to toe.

"Th--th--ank you..."

"Don't mention it." Don patted her back. "Are you all right?"

"Uh...I think so..." She looked up to him in confusion. "What happened?"

**********

The two turtles finally took a few steps back, ran at full force, and kicked in the door. Steam had already filled the entire room as they made their way over to the glass door. Splinter entered the room next, his heart sinking when he saw the form of his son inside the shower room floating around.

"Oh, jeez! Mikey! Watch out, sensei..." The glass door, being under pressure, slowly cracked open and a river of hot water came flooding out at them. Leo nearly slammed into the toilet from the powerful flow as Michaelangelo gushed out onto the tile floor. After the water cleared, Splinter inched his way along the counter top and grabbed for a towel.

"Good lord." Splinter fell upon the tile floor and wrapped the towel around his body, pulling him close to his chest. "Are you all right?" Leonardo and Raphael circled around and bent down, looking between the two. Michaelangelo blinked and puffed out a huge breath. "Oh, thank heavens..."

"Remember, he's practically at home in the water." Raph assured Splinter who looked like a typical worried father.

"Mike, you okay, bro?" Leo asked in concern.

"I'm fine; I held my breath." Mike sighed in a slight daze. "What happened?"

Meanwhile, Donatello kicked the front door in and carried the soaking-wet child up the stairs and over to the bathroom door. He had just reached the top landing when he felt himself start to slip and slide all over the saturated wood floors. With a yelp, he began to lose control of his balance and slammed against the far wall, dropping Shadow between his legs. A framed picture next to the door of Roxanne's office fell from the wall onto her head with a light thud.

"Owww!"

"Ack, ah, sorry, kid! Guys! Did someone clean the floors up here or something?"

"Don, what are you-- whoop!" Raph rushed out of the bathroom, also sliding across the wet floor and almost into another wall. Placing his hands flat prevented him from kissing the plaster. Leonardo carefully stepped out and looked to the situation. Shadow was sprawled on the ground soaked to the skin, Donatello was standing above her with his knees buckled, and finally, Raph was seen gripping the banister for dear life.

"Don? What-- " Leo paused and looked to Shadow adding more water on the floor from her wet clothes. He looked to Don again; the top half of his coat was also wet. "Why are you guys wet?"

"What I want to know is, why is the floor all wet?" Don asked, feeling himself do the splits and squeaking as he went.

"My fault." Mike stood in the bathroom doorway with Splinter looking around his arm. "Had a little a problem in the shower."

"We...ah, also had a little problem down by the lake...or more like in the lake..." Shadow said with a roll to the eyes. She slowly started to rise; her shoes squishing as she went over to Roxanne's bedroom. "Let me, uh, find something dry to put on and we'll explain everything." Leonardo looked right back at Donatello whom shrugged with an innocent grin. He looked to the floor next with a sigh.

"So, does anyone know where Roxy keeps a mop?"

**********

The six eventually met up and shared both experiences in the living room quarters. Shadow sat in a pair of Roxanne's sweats with a towel wrapped around her head while Donatello left his half-soaked coat out to dry on the front porch. Raphael paced the room, Splinter sat next to Shadow, Leonardo sat on the opposite sofa and Michaelangelo stood in the entryway, blaming himself for this whole mess.

"The natives are getting restless." Raph said quietly. "That spirit out there almost tried to kill you guys. It has to be put to rest."

"It couldn't have been the ghost child that caused all this--"

"Then, what Mike? That lake monster?" Raph shook his head and paced some more. "Look, I don't care how chicken shit you are, you gotta go put AMBER on and help that child spirit before something else happens!"

Michaelangelo took a few minutes to look around the room at his family. Donatello went back to checking the PeeK to see if it was water-damaged, Splinter stared down at the floor, Shadow began another series of teeth chattering, and Leonardo could only sit and think to himself. No one seemed to look in his direction except for Raphael who waited impatiently for a reply.

"All right, I'll do it, but only because it has to be done." Mike stepped forward and bent down to Shadow's level. "I'm real sorry, kid. I let you and my entire family down all because I was scared. Guess I'm not considered the bravest turtle anymore, huh?" Shadow stared forward and hugged herself. After she went through the shock of her life, it was no surprise she could barely talk, let alone move.

"I..." She merely uttered and closed her eyes, seeing the hollow, pale face stare right back at her. "Nooo!" The others watched her bury her face in her hands and shake uncontrollably. It wasn't from being cold, either. She was shivering with fear.

"Child, you must calm down..." Splinter reached out to touch her shoulder, feeling his hand start to wobble. The trembling worsened and she went from fear to panic in two seconds flat. Michaelangelo gripped her hand on the other side and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Please, Shadow, you need to relax...Shadow?"

Shadow suddenly lost sight and sound within the room. Her vision went black and her hearing felt as if water clogged up both her ears. A dizzy spell reached her head and she wasn't sure whether the room was spinning or she was spinning in the room. Her family gasped almost mutually when her eyes rolled up and she slid down from the sofa onto the carpet.

"Shadow!" Mike jumped to his feet as Splinter crouched down beside her. "Whoa! Sensei, what's wrong with her?"

"I do not know, Michaelangelo. Shadow?" Splinter lightly tapped her cheek, watching her eyes flutter, then close again. "It would appear she just fainted." He looked to each of them and gave orders. "Raphael, please go fetch a cup of water, Donatello, I will need a washcloth from the restroom." He looked painfully to Michaelangelo and sighed to him. "My son, forgive me for saying this, but, you should go prepare yourself with AMBER. We must end this now." Although speechless, Michaelangelo knew he was right, and obeyed his master. Splinter looked to the remaining turtle. "Leonardo, help me get her back on the sofa." Leonardo nodded and the two lifted her across the cushions. Shadow slowly reopened her eyes, blinking at them in confusion.

"Ehhhh...whoa..."

Splinter sighed with relief. "Ahh, child, you gave us quite a scare."

"Ssssorry." Shadow said quietly. "What happened to me?"

"You passed out, sweetie." Leo brushed a strand of damp hair back, eyeing up to see Raphael enter with the water cup. "I think you've had all that you can take from this place."

"I'll vouch for that." Raph bent down with the water cup. "Here kid, drink this."

"Ugh, more water..." Shadow made a face to it, but she knew better than to disobey an order, especially one coming from Raphael. Donatello entered last with the washcloth, applying it to her clammy forehead. She couldn't hide her smile from all of this pampering. "You guys are too much. Where's Uncle Mike, preparing a hoagie for me?"

"Not exactly, although he should have one last meal before he leaves our world." Don thumbed backwards. "The last place I saw him heading was the parlor room, probably to prepare to use AMBER. I'll see if he's ready to go." Don walked out into the hallway and looked in the parlor room, almost going into a fit of giggles. Sitting at a small desk chair was his brother, eyes closed, and holding AMBER in his palms as if he was about to crown the wood floor beneath him. "Um...Mike? What are you doing?"

"Quiet!" Mike hissed. "I'm trying to concentrate with AMBER!" Without warning, Donatello reached over and snatched it away from him. "Hey! Why'd you do that? I need to get the feel of it!"

Don groaned to him. "You'll get the feel of nothing if you hold it in your hands. It has to go on your head in order for you to feel something. Now, hold still, it won't bite you." Michaelangelo cringed as Don lowered AMBER onto his head.

"Well?"

"It's on you."

"It is?"

"Yup."

"Oh. Great."

Donatello backed away to watch his brother's reaction. So, far, he remained motionless as if afraid to move from his spot. He eyed up warily to him, blinking with uncertainty. Next, his head bowed as the voices found a new head to play with, and began to come and go through his ears. Just as the others heard, they were distant and intelligible. They all spoke at once, they all wanted his attention, and their pleads for help started a tingling sensation down his spine.

"Do you hear them?"

"Yeah, they sound so...sad. Wow." Mike lifted the headset off and stared at it. "I'll put it back on when we're at the lake, okay?" Donatello nodded slowly. "All right, I'm going now." As the two headed out into the hall, they caught Shadow back on her feet, walking over to the hallway. Raphael, Leonardo and Splinter followed behind. "Where are you guys going?"

"I want to see you go." She simply replied.

"We all do, actually." Raph said next.

"We're ready when you are, Mike." Leo told him with a face of total seriousness.

"I'll never be ready," he smirked, "but, this is something I have to do."

Michaelangelo lead the way down the cement path and over to the awaiting boathouse. The view of them was unlike anything a person could describe to another without being labeled as a total lunatic. A group consisting of a mutant turtle with paranormal headgear in his hands, another mutant turtle carrying a young girl, and two more mutant turtles and a rat certainly was something no living soul had ever seen before.

"Well, here we are," Mike paused at the boathouse and turned to his family, "and here I go!"

"Wait." Shadow spoke up in the background. Michaelangelo froze and looked to her. Raphael put her down and she carefully stepped over next to him. "Before you go, you must do me one favor, okay? One big favor and nothing else."

"Name it, sweetheart." Mike placed a hand on her shoulder, looking deeply into her eyes. "If you want me to be brave, I'll be brave. If you want me to be strong and self-reliant, I will do as you ask. You name it, and I will do it."

"All I want," Shadow leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "is for you to come back. Please, promise me you'll do that."

"I promise." Mike smiled sadly and gave his little niece a strong hug, holding her tightly for several long seconds. The others watched in silence as they embraced. The whole world could have been coming to an end and not one of them could turn away from that tender, heartfelt scene.

"Too bad I left my camera at home." Don grinned. "Definitely a Fuji moment."

"Wha-- nooo! I heard that you camera-happy turtle!" Shadow pulled back and gave him the evil eye. "I don't think so! Look at me, I'm in a bath robe!"

"All the more reason to." Raph pointed with a smirk. "The things you can put on the Internet these days..." Shadow pouted to him as the others snickered softly, all except for Splinter who did not look pleased. "Just a joke, Master."

"I most certainly hope so." The rat answered coolly. "Michaelangelo, have a safe journey and we will be seeing you shortly. Take care of yourself."

"Yes, sir!" Mike saluted and reapplied AMBER onto his head. "Whoaaaa...that's interesting." Now at the boathouse, the voices started to buzz more loudly in the turtle's ears. Strong as the frequencies were, he could have picked up signals from distant planets. Eyes squinting, he heard the calls for help on almost every plain of existence. They strive for young, vibrant souls, and his was aura was so positive, it became a feeding-frenzy for which spirit got to reach him first. The others stepped closer to watch him open the doors to reveal a dark, shabby room once used for various boating activities.

"I wondered what was inside this little boathouse." Shadow sized it up.

"Absolutely nothing." Raph also looked inside. "What a waste."

"That's not what I see." The first thing Mike saw out of the norm was an eerie green light coming from beneath the floorboards. "Look at the floor! It's literally glowing! Do you guys see it?"

"No, Mike." Don shook his head. "If it's the portal, then we can't see it. Only the wearer of AMBER can see it."

"I wish I could see it." Shadow said quietly.

"Oh, then here..." Mike took it off and passed it to her. "Take a look--"

"Don't you dare!" Leo stepped between them. "Her first experience was bad enough and we don't need a repeat of that!"

"Well, I was just..." Mike looked back to the floorboards, seeing the light had disappeared. "Hey, where'd it go? The light's gone! Hmm...I wonder if..." Mike placed the headgear back on and the light reappeared. "Huh?" He then took it off and the light disappeared once more. "Hey, did you know the portal disappears if you remove AMBER from your head? That's pretty freaky!"

"Only you would notice that." Raph rolled his eyes.

"Mike!" Leo shouted angrily, then paused to swallow a bit. That definitely hurt his throat. "Mike, quit playing with it and just go, please."

"Right, right, I'm gone." Mike applied AMBER and went to stand over the green light. "This is so...weird." Gazing down, he felt a strange force take over his body and push him closer to the floorboards. "Ow...what the...hey!" Seconds later--*SNAP* the wooden boards broke away and Mike found himself falling through a water hole full of swirling bubbles and strange orbs of light. Shadow gasped as she watched his form turn into a beacon of light, then fade away like a ghost evaporating from view. After the light died down, the boathouse returned to a dark, empty shell of a room once again. Shadow walked back up to the 4 remaining mutants and sighed heavily.

"He's gone." She mumbled.

"Yes, but, he will return." Splinter assured her. "I have that confidence in him."

Leo looked to her. "Will you be all right?"

"Yes." She nodded. "As long as Uncle Mike is, I will be just fine."


	11. Chapter 11: Winter Waterland

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 11: Winter Waterland_

A 5 year-old girl once told him he was one of the bravest turtles in the world. He could not disappoint that little girl just because he chickened out on this one simple task. Would it really be simple? Michaelangelo told himself to remain calm when the force dragged him underneath the boathouse floorboards and into a strange, new world. Paralyzed to resistance, he felt himself traveling below the lower depths of the dark, foreboding lake. The first to disappear was the faithful AMBER headset, followed by his clothes, ninja gear, and his entire physical body. A swirling hole with bubbles invited him to continue downward into an unknown realm full of bluish waters, shards of razor-sharp ice, and...a child's face? Right before his eyes was the head of a young boy looking both sad and perplexed in his icy predicament. Who or what caused the poor lad to fall within the confines of a frozen lake?

"Whoa, you don't look so good, pal." Mike said, feeling himself get a little choked up.

_"I think I should be cold, but I'm actually rather comfortable."_ The boy answered with a soft, English accent.

Michaelangelo looked up from the ice and took a few seconds to view his new surroundings. Judging by the frozen lake and heavy snow fall, he could see he entered a dimension during the cold, winter season. No telling what year it was exactly. The familiar boathouse stood behind him, mere inches from where he was moments ago. Keeping in spirit with the Yuletide, the owners pulled out their beautiful Christmas decorations. The main doors were adorned with two big wreaths and the side walls held up bright, red bows.

"Christmas, your family lost you at..." He sadly shook his head, pausing to hear a faint, squeaky voice speak out to him.

"Help!" Michaelangelo looked left to right, seeing no one. "Heeeeelp!" Then, straight ahead, he faintly spotted someone or something trapped in the frozen lake. It was a little clown doll dressed in a one-piece white outfit with purple and green toy designs. On his head was a standard cone-shaped clown hat with one large wave of orange-red hair. His eyes were bright green and full of panic from having half his body stuck in the solid ice. "Help me!"

"Is that a friend of yours?" Mike asked the boy.

"Hey, stupid! Over here!" The doll yelled, giving the turtle something to huff about. "Pull me out!"

"Why should I?" Mike sneered as he stepped closer. "Who are you?"

_"That's me popette!"_ The boy answered happily.

"Ahhh. Your...hey, you must be Chippy, the one who gave me a fright under the planks! Heh, looks as though you're not so menacing in this world, are you?" The doll rolled his eyes and gave him a look of annoyance. "So, what is it you want me to do exactly?"

"Get me out!" Chippy yelled at him. Michaelangelo held back chuckles as he bent down and tried to pull him out of the ice. "Pull my finger!" The doll waved his fingers at him. Not remembering one of the oldest tricks in the book, the turtle did as he requested and heard bubbles popping beneath the doll.

"Ack!" Mike pulled back in disgust. "Oh, you nasty little clown!" The boy, however, giggled.

"Do you find this amusing?" The clown asked the boy. Michaelangelo grabbed a hold of the doll's arm and yanked harder. "Ohhh....eeee! Ooooh!" The boy giggled again, clearly enjoying this. The doll looked confused. "What am I, a clown?"

"It would appear so," Mike said, standing up, "and it would appear you're stuck good. I'll see if I can find something to get you out. Sit tight. Heh, heh!"

The doll continued to call for help as Michaelangelo made his way off the ice and toward the festive boathouse. He looked out onto the lake one more time. The doll repeatedly begged for help to anyone who could hear him within a one mile radius. Maybe in order to help this ghost boy rest peacefully, he first had to help that stupid doll. For the time being, it was the only thing he could think of to do.

The inside of the boathouse was a warm welcome from the harsh, blustery winds. Although small in size, it was a basic shed filled with the typical items used for water activities. There were two red and white buoys hanging on the walls, a well built fishing boat, and a block and tackle suspended by the windows. Along one wall stood a work desk with many cracks in its aging wood. Michaelangelo walked up to the desk, accidentally smacking his head against the block. He was seeing stars now.

"Ouch! Okay, note to self: I may be invisible, but physical objects can still touch me! Jeeeeez!" Mike stopped the block from swinging and looked over the surface of the table. The contents consisted of a little black horse on red wheels, a bottle with a ship inside and a large bag of Standard Crystal Brand Rock Salt. "Hey, what's the salt for, kiddo?"

_"I think I remember father using that on the walkway."_ The boy faintly answered.

Michaelangelo nodded and looked over the three objects. None of them could help the clown doll in any way. The boy playfully pushed the horse back and forth while the turtle pondered what to do next.

"Hmm, if we could use this tackle's rope, tie it around Chippy, and then pull..." Mike looked up to the tackle. "No, that wouldn't work. I don't have anything to cut the rope..." In a swift turn, he felt another pain shoot through his elbow after it bumped against that same, stupid block. "Ouch! I'm gonna have bruises on me and not even know where they come from!" With a growl, Mike angrily swung the block at a great force. The block flew outward and then back toward the desk, knocking the bag of rock salt out the window. Oops, that did something.

"Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man..." Mike hurried outside and found the bag split with salt upon the sheet of ice. Next to the bag was a broken hole. "Oh, great! Good job, loser!" Mike rubbed his head, looking around for a brief moment. Wait a second. He looked to the boathouse, then to the hole. Where was Chippy? Did he knock him out and down into the lake? "Um...Chippy? Are you down there?"

Peering closer, Michaelangelo moved over the hole and felt himself fall below the lake's surface. Down at the bottom of the lake was whole other world full of mystery and exploration. He immediately found Chippy sitting on the sandy-brown floor as if waiting for something to happen.

"There you are, Chip-- whoa!" Mike accidentally stepped over a yellow, rubber duck, hearing it quack angrily at him. "Oh, sorry!"

What was a rubber duck doing at the bottom of the lake? It was quite possibly another object lost from this poor boy's toy collection. The sound of the duck summoned a small car up to them, moving along as if it had no trouble finding its way through the murky waters. Michaelangelo blinked and gawked at the car, feeling his mouth drop several notches.

"How in the world..." Mike approached the car and read the title on the side door: _Amber Car Co_. "Wait, I gotta remember wherever I am, anything is possible! Cars can drive underwater, suuuuure!" The car door opened by itself, welcoming the travelers in for a little ride.

Chippy started to snicker. "You drove your new car in the lake? Boy, are you gonna get it!"

Mike made a face. "Hey, leave the kid alone! It was probably an accident...just like when...Shadow lost her SUV..." He paused and thought for a moment. No, push that incident away. Donatello refused to let her stay in the vehicle as it sank to the bottom of the lake. She was okay, alive and well back in his own time. This boy's family lost their son, and he knew they were hurting very badly. Shaking the thought from his head, he climbed into the driver's seat and looked at the windshield covered in a fine, white mist of fog. The passenger side opened and Chippy climbed in beside him. "So, where do you want to go?"

Chippy smiled to the windshield. "Home, James! I mean, Edwin!"

"Edwin?" Mike looked to the doll, then to himself. "Oh...so, that's your name! Okay, Edwin, let's take this clown home..."

_"I can't see where I'm going!" _Edwin reached up and wiped the mist off the windshield, followed by moving the car to a cliff overlooking three sand routes. One to the left, one in the center, and one to the right. _"Which way shall we go?"_ He eagerly asked.

Mike looked over the dashboard and pointed. "Try that way first."

_"Hold on, Chippy, here we gooooo!"_ Edwin let the car drive itself, the route spinning into numerous twists, loops and turns. The sound the tires made beneath the sand was unlike anything he had heard. It almost sounded like a very large snail sliding along a moist ground at an unbelievable speed. Although, that was something Michaelangelo had never seen before, it was the only thing he could think of! At another three-way stop, the passengers looked in all directions.

"Now, which way?" Mike covered his eyes and pointed randomly. "Eenie Meenie, Mynee Moe! Aw, heck, try that way!" Again, the car moved on its own and took the riders on some more crazy loops. Mike felt as though he was on some uncontrollable roller coaster heading to Lord knows where. It both frightened and thrilled him on what to expect next. "Man, what a ride..."

Chippy shook his head. "I- I'm gonna...be...sick!" At the end of the route, the car brought the travelers to the gates of a large underwater castle. Michaelangelo stared in awe at the sight of it, suddenly reminded of one of those fish tank plastic buildings. "Nice drivin', hee hee." Chippy stepped out and swam closer to the gate, looking back inside the windshield of the car. "Hey! I don't wanna be left here by myself! Go get the bear!"

"The who? Bear?" Mike squinted to him. "What bear?" Chippy ignored him and the windshield fogged up once again. Edwin reached out to wipe it off, finding themselves back on another three-way route. "I take it I can't leave yet? Chippy wants some bear for company. Oh, well, can't disappoint the clown."

_"What a fun little motor car!"_ Edwin said with joy.

Michaelangelo smiled as he decided on which direction of the three routes they should take now. The crazy paths couldn't have all been the same. He figured if he tried a different route, the results would be much easier on the stomach. To his dismay, all the ramps were twisty, winding, and would cause anyone alive to lose their lunch. After another roller coast ride, the car stopped at three more routes. This was getting ridiculous. Michaelangelo pointed in another direction, turning up to a dead end of stalagmites. With those things blocking the way, the car booted them out and left them stranded on the sandy road.

"So much for the fun little motor car, kid. We'll have to walk it from here."

At the base of the stalagmites, he could see there were only two walking paths to choose from, the rest were for driving. Michaelangelo began at the direction they intended, to the right, and pressed on that way. It was a marvelous water world with dazzling lights above their heads. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he could walk underwater just as easily as he walked on land. He couldn't do this in his own time. Even as a turtle, he had to swim around with his arms and legs.

Half-way down the path, he spotted a large pit with something stuck at the bottom. A cute, brown, teddy bear hopped up and down on a piece of broken ice. Next to him was a wooden sign marked: _Danger! Thin Ice!_ Michaelangelo felt a strong pity for the poor creature trapped like that and he knew his little companion felt the same way. It was one of his precious toys.

"Ohhh, look who we found, Edwin!"

_"That's me Teddy!"_ The lad beamed. _"He looks like he could use a hand up, but he's too far away."_

Mike agreed. "Hmm, I'd go down there, but I might get stuck myself. That's one of the set-backs of not being able to swim in this place. There has to be some other way to pull him up..." Mike looked straight up to the water's ceiling and saw a blurry anchor at the top. "I wonder where that thing is located top-side."

Michaelangelo backtracked to the stalagmites and followed the second pathway up around a spiral staircase. He could tell he was getting closer to the lake's surface by the shades of blue lighting up with each step taken. Through another broken hole, the turtle found himself standing on top of the ice once more. How many holes were in this lake? He knew he didn't emerge from the same hole he found Chippy. The location told him he was definitely away from the boathouse.

Then, he saw it. He saw the exact reason why Edwin had died so young. Turning his gaze to a snow bank, he found a fresh set of sled tracks coming from the trees and stopping at the edge of the lake. He was sad to admit the tracks lined up perfectly to the broken hole he was standing alongside.

"Oh, no. Oh, you poor kid. Your sled went out of control and you..." Mike bowed his head and swallowed heavily. "This is so unfair..."

Sighing in deep remorse, the turtle began a slow walk along the lake, getting to know this new world and its beautiful scenery. Beyond the edge of the lake, all he could see was a cluster of dark trees in every direction. Taking a step closer to the trees, the wind picked up and blew him backwards, almost as if to tell him there was no need to venture through the thick woods.

"Whoops. Guess I can't go up to the house for some hot chocolate, huh?" Mike stepped back on the edge of the frozen lake.

_"You can't even see the house with the snow!"_ Edwin whined.

Michaelangelo continued to round the lake when he found a little boat, complete with a full mast and white sails. A grin appeared on his lips as he approached this fine vessel, looking ready to set sail at any given moment.

"Wow, Edwin! Is this yours? Look at this thing! Leo would be in his glory." Mike climbed into the boat and found a rope attached to the sails. Pulling it toward him, he watched the sails go up, but nothing happen. "Hmm, that's odd...how will we get this thing to move?" Mike climbed out and followed a rope, the end of it over by another hole in the ice. The two peered down to see what was on the other end of the rope.

_"Oh, look! I can see an anchor from here!"_ Edwin said to him.

Mike also looked down the hole. "Hey, yeah! That's where Teddy is! We're right above him!" He then looked between the boat and the hole, getting an idea. "If we can somehow move the boat over here, it'll drop the anchor to the bottom and Teddy can climb on it! The boat probably needs something to push the sails. Let's see what we can find."

Michaelangelo was almost happy to know he was figuring out this whole puzzle without the help of his brothers. As luck would find it, the two ventured up to an old windmill buoy, also collecting dust on the lake. He never saw this thing in his world and wondered if it still worked. After finding a lever beneath the pivot, a sad-sounding motor sprung to life. Michaelangelo grinned as he watched the propellers spin like an airplane, ready to take off into flight.

_"That'll put a little wind in your sail!"_ The boy said happily.

"All right! Let's go try the boat now, Edwin!" Mike ran back over to the boat, hoisted the sails and...sat motionless. "What?! I don't get it! That windmill is giving us wind! What am I doing wrong?" Mike climbed out again and looked all over, utterly confused. "Okay, the boat needs to move forward so that the anchor can be lowered to Teddy...I turned on the windmill...and..." A blustery wind whipped by him and for some strange reason, he almost felt it. "Hmm, maybe the sails will only move if we're going in a certain direction...?"

Michaelangelo began another slow walk along the lake, using his brain power as strongly as possible. At one edge of the lake, he found a bubbling hole with yet another wooden sign marked: _Danger! Thin Ice!_ next to it. There were so many warnings, but unfortunately, so little parental supervision. The turtle paused at the sign and blinked away tears. It was such a tragedy to see a young child die in such a horrible way. He remembered the one year in early spring when April fell through the frozen pond at Casey's grandmother's farmhouse. If Leonardo hadn't been hunting in the forest nearby...well, he just knew she wouldn't be around if it wasn't for his heroic brother.

"I wish I could have been here to save you, kid." He said quietly. "The only thing I can do now is help your toys go home and make sure you find a nice place to rest for a very long time."

Moment's later, the boathouse came back into view, telling him this lake wasn't as big as he thought it was. With the interior having no more clues to help him, he decided to take a look around the exterior. Michaelangelo began along the sides, looking at everything and anything. At the back, he found a trellis going up the wall and onto the roof of the boathouse.

"Hmm, what's up here?" Mike began to climb the trellis and, to his surprise, found a rusty weathervane. Mike stared at the contraption and again, started to think over what to do. "The wind is blowing according to this thing, but what if I...move the arrow?" A very harsh squeak emerged and the pointer moved. Mike felt a gust of wind blow up in the direction the weathervane pointed; the force almost sending him off the roof. "Yikes!"

_"Does this change the wind or does the wind change this?"_ Edwin asked with slight confusion.

"I don't know. In the car, we turned onto a different sand route when we found Teddy. So, if we want to move the boat from one side, the wind will have to come from..." Mike swallowed and pushed the pointer one more time. The wind blew fiercely, then died down again. "Call me crazy, but...this just might work!"

Michaelangelo jogged all the way back to the boat, jumped in and pulled the rope toward him. Again, the sails flew high, and then...the boat started to move! The wind took him and Edwin for a short ride over the hole in the ice, dropping the anchor down to the bottom of the lake.

"All right! We did it! Now, let's pull the boat back to lift Teddy!"

The logic was nearly complete for the mind of this turtle. Michaelangelo restored the weathervane to reverse the wind, and felt this would be the last car ride underwater he'll ever take. The two took different routes in the motor car, the anticipation growing more on them both. At a final sand route, Michaelangelo chose the right direction and the car went forward down the ramp.

_"Let's go get Teddy."_ Edwin replied. At the corner of one turn, they found Teddy hovering over the sand route. The brave little bear sat quietly on the lifted anchor, almost smiling to his rescuers. The passenger side opened and Teddy climbed in next to them.

"Welcome aboard, Teddy!" Mike beamed. "Make yourself comfy." After seeing the loops up ahead, Teddy began to shake a little in the passenger seat. Mike frowned and eyed the toy warily. "Uh, Edwin, I think your bear might wet his cotton."

_"Don't be frightened, Teddy," _The boy said gently, _"it's fun!"_

Michaelangelo suddenly felt this was one of the longest routes out of all of them. He knew they couldn't be steered wrong, yet, he feared one mess up would send them at a dead end of stalagmites. The car seemed to know where to go and it didn't stop for anyone or anything. Up ahead, the sand route made a fierce set of zig-zag turns. The turtle gulped and gripped the seat while looking to Teddy.

"Got some wide turns up ahead guys." He mumbled.

_"Hold on very tightly."_ Edwin told his beloved bear as the car zoomed through another series of sharp turns. At the end of the line, the car stopped abruptly in front of the castle. Chippy stood patiently outside the gates and waved for Teddy to step out and join him. The bear calmly floated over to the doll and also gave a friendly wave. Edwin felt much better now. _"There, no one will be lonely."_

Michaelangelo climbed out of the car next and looked between the two, unsure of what to say. What could you possibly say to a toy clown and teddy bear? As he reached them, the castle gates slowly opened, revealing darkness and the glow of a bouncing purple ball.

"Oooh, pretty!" Chippy said.

"Wow." Mike looked inside, then to the doll. "Okay, Chippy, I brought Teddy to you, so I guess...um..."

"I guess this means goodbye?" Chippy asked weakly. Michaelangelo went to speak, but the force returned and dragged him through the gates. The clown doll called out one more time, "Goodbye!"

Trumpets played loudly as the two entered this wide, exquisite room. It was a pinkish/purple-colored grand hall with high structure beams and water rippling on both sides of the floor. In the center of the room, Michaelangelo noticed a red carpet and a set of stairs leading up to a small jack-in-box. The purple ball bounced happily along the red carpet and up to the box. "All Around the Mulberry Bush" played softly as the box opened up and a blue spectrum of light engulfed the ball. The light increased within the room until Michaelangelo had to shield his eyes. A sparkling purple orb jumped out from him, giggling as it went into the box. Edwin was finally going home, and so was the weakened turtle.

"Take care, little guy." He waved. "Hope you stay nice and warm!" The light grew brighter and Mike felt himself drifting into some other dimension he hoped was his own. The turtle smiled broadly when he started to feel his normal senses returning. "I promised I would return, Shadow, and it's a promise well-kept."


	12. Chapter 12: The Final Journey Beyond

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 12: The Final Journey Beyond_

Feeling himself back on solid ground, Michaelangelo took a brief moment to rest on the floor of the old boathouse. Although cold, tired and hungry, he was extremely thankful to feel the touch of the AMBER headset reattached to his skull. Was he back in his own time? It would have appeared so. Just to make sure, he needed to catch one or two breaths to remind himself he was alive and ticking. He was glad that he miraculously conquered the snow, sleet, and underwater roller coaster adventure. He also knew he had quite a tale to tell his family.

Speaking of his family, where were they? Lifting one eye lid, he looked to the boathouse doors, seeing them wide open. Did they even know he returned? He waited two minutes to see if anyone would come bursting in, then proceeded for five. Lying down felt good, but the lack of attention was starting to annoy him. Finally, he pulled himself up on his knees and crawled over to the exit.

"Hell-- ohh!"

He never saw it coming; he didn't have a chance to move away fast enough. One minute he was getting up on his feet, the next he was down on his shell, staring at a happy yet tear-stricken face.

"Uncle Mike! You made it back! I was so worried about you!"

"Ummph...hi, Shadow. I take it I was missed?"

"Nah, not really." Raph came and pulled her off as if she were a mere piece of luggage. "Need some recuperation bro? You look a little paler than usual."

"Hey, after what I had gone through...whoaaa...head's spinning..." Mike rolled his eyes up and fell over face down in the sand. Leonardo joined Raphael in lifting his brother up and onto his limp feet while Shadow helped remove the AMBER headset. Donatello slowly approached with the PeeK in hand, still fumbling with the buttons.

"Is he okay?" He lightly asked without looking up.

"No, he's very weak and may not survive." Donatello snapped his head up at Shadow, watching a smirk form on her lips. "Wow, that got your attention, didn't it?"

"That's not funny."

"I was just kidding!" Shadow took a few steps back to stand alongside him. "He's just drained, that's all. This thing must take a lot out of the wearer." She gestured to the headset. Hearing a beep sound from the PeeK, she turned to look at the screen. "So, what does it say now?"

Don shrugged a little. "The same thing it said the last two times. Psionic fragment isolated. Insufficient power to process."

Shadow scrunched her nose. "What does that mean?"

"It means we've still got one more thing to conquer," his eyes narrowed up to the house, "and that one thing is on Roxy's computer."

"But, how will we get to it if we don't have a password?"

"I don't know." Don looked to her sadly. "It's bound to hit me sooner or later. Come on, let's get Mikey out of here."

On the way back up to the house, Michaelangelo collapsed again upon the cement path, not realizing how much of his energy the AMBER headset took from him. He tried to talk, but found himself slurring on his words. It almost sounded as if a hunter's tranquilizer stunned him, the effects leaving him weak and his words incomprehensible.

"Pu--laay...me...on--daaat over theeeeere..."

"What's he saying?" Shadow asked.

"I dunno, I could never understand him." Raph placed his brother on one of the patio furniture chairs and watched him sink into it. "Here, just sit and relax. How do you feel?"

"Wasted." Mike stared up at them. "Guys, I gotta tell you, that had to be one of the most wildest experience in my life."

"Wait, you're still young." Raph nudged him.

"No, I'm serious!" He sat up a little more, blinking wide-eyed. "The things I saw in that world were truly unbelievable." His head dropped down to his chest. "It was also rather upsetting in parts. Such a sad fate for the poor kid."

"Tell us exactly what happened to him, Mikey." Leo said, sitting down in a patio chair beside him. The others took any other available seats left, knowing this would take awhile.

Michaelangelo explained his unusual trip in as much detail as possible. Raphael rolled his eyes at the mention of a talking doll and animated teddy bear. Though, the mention of Edwin's death made him stare in deep sympathy. Leonardo also listened closely; his face full of much sorrow for the innocent little boy. Even Donatello, who kept fiddling with the PeeK, would frown at his brother every now and then. Splinter gave an expression any parent would after they heard bad news and he too, stared in a way Michaelangelo could not look at for a long time. Lastly, Shadow, having a soft spot for children, sat there with a stunned, crinkled face.

"Oh, that's so sad, Uncle Mike. To die in such a way is a horrible thing. Where were his parents? I can't believe no one was watching him while he was out playing in the snow!"

"Yeah, that reminds me of the time you almost drowned in the lake at the farmhouse. Remember that?" Raph rose from his chair, watching Shadow cover her eyes. Yup, she remembered it all right.

"I know I've had a few minor accidents in my life." She said lightly.

"Minor?" Raph snorted. "I wouldn't doubt you're part feline with about 4 lives left. I think all of your near-death experiences happened to you under the age of 10. Then, we have the teen years..." The others had to roll their eyes at the mention of that. "It's remarkable you've made it this far."

"Tell me about it." She sighed with a laugh. "How old was I when I almost drowned?"

"Oh, I'd say you had to be about 5." Mike suggested with a lazy hand.

Shadow gawked to him. "What? No, way! I knew how to swim by then!"

"Correction." Raph pointed to her. "You knew how to swim by the end of the summer! After your little incident, your parents set you up with lessons."

"I remember this now." Leo spoke up quietly. "Casey was the one _supposedly_ watching you...or more like not watching you. It was early summer and we were spending a weekend at the farmhouse. The so-called baby-sitter was in the living room watching hockey, April was in the kitchen making lunch, and we all went out on some nature hike with Splinter."

"Heh, more like one of our many vigorous outdoor exercises with him." Don turned to Splinter who sat quietly with a twitching whisker. "We returned tired and out of breath and the last thing we wanted to hear was a bunch of screams coming from the lake." He looked over to Leonardo with a grin. "Jeez, you ran so fast, you could've beaten out a hare! Talk about getting a second wind of energy."

"I know, I was totally exhausted after the hike." Mike chuckled and rested his arms over his chest. "It was almost like a race. We all dropped our hiking gear and set off for the lake at a record speed, getting to you just in time."

"I was so embarrassed in my wet clothes." Shadow was turning a crimson red.

"Like that's a big deal." Don laughed a little. "I almost jumped in, but quickly realized my miles meter and Walkman were still attached to my belt!"

"That would have been a shocking experience." Raph smirked.

"Well, you guys did mention you wanted to go swimming that day." Shadow shrugged innocently.

"True, we all planned on taking a nice dip in the lake. We just didn't think it'd be so soon." Leo winked to Shadow who was covering up half her blushed face.

"Soooo, what did you guys do to Dad?"

"Nothin,' unfortunately." Raph bit his lip. "Instead, he got chewed out by April big time. Then, when that wasn't enough, we all had a few hundred words to say to him. Yep, those were some unforgettable times."

"Wow." Shadow shook her head. "Drowning is such a scary experience. I'm so glad I know how to swim...though, that thing in the lake had more control over me and I probably would have..." She cut herself off and eyed over to Donatello. "Well, I'd be with Edwin by now. At least he'd have some company."

"I don't think so, kid." Mike looked to her seriously. "Edwin was stuck in a cold, lonely place and I was glad I could help him move on to a much better plain of existence. Sure, he had his toys for company, but to be stuck in one spot for so long is a terrible thing for anyone to endure." A furry hand came down upon his and squeezed it lightly.

"I am very proud of you, Michaelangelo." Splinter answered with a tired grin. "You not only helped a little child rest in peace, you also found that you have the courage to travel into another dimension to take care of the deed yourself." He looked to the others. "That goes for all of you. We have been through so much this evening, never in my life have I seen such bravery come from my sons...and my granddaughter." Shadow looked up to him as he faced her. "Yes, dear, that includes you, too."

"How do you figure?" She mumbled. "All I did was drag you all out here and get us stranded. What good is that?"

"Believe it or not, it is very good." Splinter closed his eyes briefly. "To think what would have happened to your boss if we never came out here. You may not have experienced what my sons have, but you have proven to be a very persistent young lady. Roxanne hired a worthy employee and I am not just saying that because you are my granddaughter. I am saying that because it is true."

"Oh." Shadow looked to her uncles to see them nodding mutually. "I guess I never thought of it that way." Sitting quietly, a gust of wind brushed past them, followed by the moon coming out once again from a bunch of thick clouds. Shadow looked up to it, then over at Donatello. "The moon is out again."

"I know, Shad." Don said with a deep sigh. "Just like before."

"Before what?" Leo asked, looking between the two.

"Oh, she's just observing outdoor life to the extreme." Don said, standing up with the PeeK in hand. "When we were out here on a walk, we noticed everything around us is still moving. Unfortunately, the entrance to the main road is still blocked. We may have all the missing fragments from the three spirits, but that doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet."

"Ha ha." Raph had to say, gesturing to the surrounding forest.

"You know what I mean." Don pouted briefly.

"Uncle Don?" Shadow continued to stare up at the moon as Donatello looked her way. "I think I just figured it out with this whole time standing still. The moon, the wind, the crickets, it all makes sense!" The Turtles and Splinter watched her cross over to a tree and place a hand upon the bark. The wind rustled the pine needles next to her hand, then died down again.

"What is it?" Mike asked.

"It's time. That's what it is." She looked to him. "Time has stopped for everything in this entire area, including the things that are moving by themselves. We're stuck in a repeated time frame that just keeps playing itself over and over, like a video!"

"Wait, so you mean time stopped, but time is still moving things?" Raph asked wide-eyed. "You're not making sense, kid!"

"Yes, she is!" The others looked to Don staring as if lightning had just struck his brain. "Think of a movie, any movie you love dearly, and then think of yourself sitting in front of the TV and repeatedly watching it. We're stuck in that movie. It's playing in a loop and we can't get out of it!"

"Of course." Leo said, the puzzle finally piecing in his own mind. "It's as if this whole area is some type of vortex and we're stuck within its whirlpool of a trap!"

"A vortex?" Shadow shuddered, glancing up to the swirling skies. "I never thought of it that way. Does this mean people from the outside world can't get in?"

Don shook his head. "No one knows we're out here except for that guy, Joe, and he wouldn't be able to reach us with all of our communication cut off." He sighed a little and looked in the direction of the garage. "I got a feeling if we don't save Roxanne from her suspended animation, we'll be stuck here for a very long time."

Mike suddenly thought of something memorable. "You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"

"Hate to admit it, but you're right." Don told him.

"What?!" Mike immediately frowned. "It was a joke!"

Don nodded a little. "Understandable, but the truth is we probably did enter another world different from our own. Roxanne's headgear must have opened some sort of gate when she went astral. Since she hasn't come back, the gate remained open until someone came along the path to come rescue her. Once we entered the path, the gate closed and trapped us inside."

"But, who closed it?" Raph asked with a lowered brow. Donatello and Shadow looked up to the heavens while Leonardo and Splinter looked in every direction along the woods. Michaelangelo, meanwhile, gawked at everyone.

"Are you saying God is behind all this?" He asked quietly, afraid someone might hear him.

"Could be," Don turned to him, "or it could be an entirely different entity. Someone or something has the power to make things happen, such as allowing spirits to haunt our world or to shut us out from our normal, daily lives. It could also be the Devil at work. We don't know!"

"God would never do this to us. We're not that bad." Mike huffed indignantly. "I just never thought I'd be trapped out in some unknown place for a good length of time. It's almost as if we ourselves are...no, I can't say it." He looked to Shadow. "Well, you know...like..."

"We're dead?" Shadow asked. The others stared at her. "Yeah, it does feel like that."

"But, we're not dead!" Raph looked aghast. "Believe me, I'll know when I'm dead!"

"No, we're not dead, Uncle Raph," Shadow said softly, "but, this is, in a way, what it feels like to be dead. You're all alone, there's no one around to talk to, you walk endlessly through walls and corridors, and depending on how you died, you're doomed to repeat the death over and over until someone tells you you're no longer a part of the living world. Once you discovered you're dead, you can move on peacefully."

Don agreed. "And, of course, one of the phrases Roxanne told you was, 'Death Is Not The End.' "

"Right." Shadow nodded. "It's just the next step, the next journey in the Circle of Life. You know, like from--"

"_The Lion King_." Leo and Mike said with a grin.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Like we couldn't get enough of that movie, kid."

"Okay, so now that we've helped these spirits and collected the missing fragments, what is there left to do?" Leo asked, trying to look at the PeeK. His brother could be such a hog with that device, he almost wanted to snatch it away from him.

"Well, let's see." Don lifted the PeeK and pointed to the screen. "According to this, we now have to get the software working on Roxanne's computer so that we can stabilize these fragments. This shouldn't be too hard now that we have them all."

"But, what about the password?" Mike had to ask that same old question. Donatello froze and stiffened, almost crushing the PeeK in his grip.

"I already asked." Shadow whispered to Michaelangelo.

"Ut, oh..."

"The password..." Don slowly turned to his brother with a twitching eye. "...why does everyone keep asking me about the stupid password?!"

"Duh! Because, you're the geek of the family!" Raph shouted to him. "You're the only one who can crack it!"

"But, I haven't cracked it!" Don equally shouted back.

"Well, there's got to be some way to get it." Leo pointed around at the PeeK's corners. "Maybe this thing has some cord that connects to the computer and it'll give you the password." Donatello blinked and looked at him as if he said something ridiculous. "What?"

"If the password was on the PeeK, I would have gotten it by now." He responded through gritted teeth.

"Don, I understand that," Leo quickly said, "I meant maybe it's on there now that you have all three of the missing fragments--"

"Take a look, Leo. Do you see a password or any word flashing on here? Hmm?" Don shoved the PeeK in his face. "No! I sure don't!"

"Stop it!" Leo smacked it away. "I was only suggesting that maybe it'll appear once you're on the computer because you now have the fragments--"

"How?" Don waved his hands frantically. "Do you think it'll just magically appear on the screen? Do you think some angel will come to me and whisper the password in my ear? No! It doesn't work that way!" Groaning loudly, he turned to walk the length of the patio back and forth. "This is getting us nowhere..."

"Well, technically, we are in the middle of nowhere." Mike joked, then quickly sobered up when Donatello gave him a nasty glare. "Just kidding!"

"Whatever, Mikey." Raph mumbled, catching Shadow bite her lip. "And don't you encourage him."

"Don." Leo approached from behind and put a hand to his shoulder. "Hey, I was just trying to help--"

"I know that!!!" Don spun around and gulped to his second outburst. First Shadow, now Leonardo. He really felt terrible now. "I mean, I know...that...some help is better than no help." He quickly eyed up to him before looking back at the PeeK's screen. "Sorry, Leo. I guess your suggestions are as good as mine, and, at this point, I'm up for anything." He looked to him again, getting a silent nod in agreement. "Right...okay, enough yelling at each other. I'm gonna go turn the power back on and see what I can do with that computer." To avoid anymore conflicts, Don began a fast-paced walk toward to the front end of the house. Shadow looked to AMBER in her hands and ran after him.

"Oh! Wait, don't you need this?"

"Wha--" Don paused abruptly, almost colliding with her. "Whoa, Jeez!"

"Yikes!" Shadow screeched in her tracks and veered off the path.

"Sorry!" Don's cheeks turned a deep shade of green. "I should have signaled." He looked to his brothers. "Um, guys, why don't you wait outside till I get the power on? We don't need any more accidents, if you know what I mean."

"Good idea." Leo nodded.

"As for AMBER," Don pointed to Shadow's hands encircling the headset, "I will need it one more time. This just may be our last task of saving Roxanne." Don started to walk away with Shadow following closely behind.

"Well, how about I just come with you?" Again, he paused with a turn and, this time, she slammed into the center of his solid plastron. "Ooof!" Shadow gasped and fell backwards onto the ground, coughing and gasping for air.

"Oh, no-- " Don sucked in a breath. "I'm so sorry, hon. Are you okay?" Shadow inhaled sharply and gave a weak nod. It was rather difficult to speak after having the wind knocked out from her lungs. "Huh?"

"I...am...fine..."

Don frowned heavily as he reached down to pull her back up. "You know, if you keep doing that, I'm going to hurt you. Not intentionally, of course, but I'm not made out of feathers."

"Yeah...I know. I'm...good." She rubbed her chest a little. "Let's just get this over with."

Donatello nodded and continued along the path. He didn't have to look to her; he could tell she was trying to hide a smile. It wasn't for nearly knocking her down and laughing about it, either. She was smiling at the thought of this whole thing coming to an end. With the final fragment found and Roxanne almost rescued, she was glad to think they could leave this place and never return. Raphael mentioned coming back in the summertime, but he was quite certain he'd be traveling alone.

"Got the time?" She asked unexpectedly.

"To do what?" Don groaned at what he just said as she bit her lip. "You know what time it is, Shadow. The same time it has always been."

"Well, I thought after getting the third fragment, time would start to move on its own again." Shadow reached the front door first and opened it, looking in to the dark hallway. "Ugh, if it weren't for that red light by the stairs, I'd really be in trouble."

"Still afraid of the dark, huh?" Don teased.

Shadow turned pink in the face. "It's not a crime to be afraid!"

"I didn't say it was!" Don entered the hallway and felt her latch onto his arm. "Wow, you really are scared--"

"Just...shut up, and go forward." She snapped with a hint of shakiness. The two entered the dark hall and proceeded forward to the staircase. Shadow knew the routine by now, but she always regretted the part of something spooky jumping out in a dimly-lit house.

Past incidents of the power going out in her apartment brought back memories of being afraid of someone or something lurking in a dark corner, ready to strike. A family member always found and held her close, telling her there was nothing to be scared of except tripping over an object and hurting yourself in the process. That was always one of Donatello's phrases when he told the frightened child not to move and to stay in one spot. They were all so brave and she was so, well...chicken!

"We're almost there." He said to her quietly on the staircase. "I can see the office from here."

"I can, too, but it's dark." She groaned. Looking down, she felt him give her hand a light squeeze as if to assure her they'd be okay. Smiling a little, she actually felt safer when she was with him. She knew if anything technical went wrong, he was always there to fix it. At the entrance to Roxanne's office, Shadow stopped and preferred staying in the hall next to the red light, her safety beacon in the dark.

"There's the main power switch, kiddo. Here." He passed her the PeeK. "I'll go turn it on and then we can get started on the computer. Okay?" Shadow nodded once and watched Don walk over to throw the switch. "Here we go..."

_CLICK_

Something didn't seem right when the power hesitated. Donatello went to back away, but it was already too late. The lights began to flicker a few times and a crackling sound emerged from the switch. Like being struck by 10,000 volts of lightning, Donatello started to tremble in one spot, unable to pull away from the surge of immense power shooting up his arm and throughout his body.

"Arrrgh....Auuugh! Shadow, help!"

"Uncle Don! Nooo!!!" Shadow screamed, feeling helpless to watch her uncle being shocked to death right before her eyes. Finally, the electricity turned on and the sizzling turtle slumped to the ground in a shaking heap. "Oh, my God, no. Oh, please, God no!" Donatello's breathing became shallow until there was nothing left but silence from his lips. His view of the ceiling light started to blur and then his eyes closed shut. Shadow tapped his cheek and shook him, getting no response. "Help!!! Help me!!!"

"Shadow?" Along with trampling feet, Leo's voice was heard coming up the stairs. "Shadow-- what happened?"

"It's Uncle Don, he's been electrocuted!" Shadow wailed from her spot on the floor. Leonardo entered the office to find her sitting under the power switch with Donatello half-cradled in her lap. "Help him, please--"

"Step away." Leo instructed as he bent down on both knees to have a closer look. Shadow carefully slid out from under him and crossed to the door frame just as the others filed up the stairs. "Don, come on, bro, wake up? Don, can you hear me?"

"No, please, God, this isn't happening..." Shadow stood next to the little desk, clutching her mouth and crying uncontrollably.

"What's going on?" Mike entered next with worry already etched on his face. Shadow could only gesture to Donatello lying on the floor and Leonardo kneeling beside him. After seeing the look on his face, telling Mike that his brother was electrocuted was much too hard for her to say. Raphael came up the stairs next and pushed his way into the room.

Splinter approached last, looking very concerned. "What has happened?"

"I don't know." Mike said, looking to Shadow for an answer.

"He was electrocuted while turning on the power." She finally responded in broken words.

"Oh, my God, no. He's okay, though, right?" Mike looked past her to his brothers, watching them closely. "Leo, is he okay?" He didn't get an answer, and that made him more worried. "Huh? Well, is he? Raph?"

"Mikey...stop." Raph stood and took a few steps to the side.

"Why?" Mike looked to Shadow briefly, then to his brothers again. "Leo, is he just unconscious?"

"No." Leo sat back on his haunches, tears streaming down his face. "He's dead."

* * *

A.N.: Whoa! What a spot to leave ya, huh? I humbly apologize for taking months to update! Now, you'll have to wait for more months to see the rest! Mwahahahaha! Naaaaw, j/k, in truth, I'm currently writing the very end of Chapter 13 and just need to add some final dialogue pieces straight from the game. It's been one long journey, but I'm finally reaching the end! Thank you all so much for your kind feedback! I appreciate it to the fullest! Bye for now! 


	13. Chapter 13: Turtle vs Terminal

A Turtle's Journey Beyond 

_Chapter 13: Turtle vs Terminal_

This could not be happening; he could not be dead right here, right now. Donatello tried to tell himself that, but he somehow lost the ability to connect any thoughts to his mind. Invisible to the naked eye, a powerful force arrived and carefully plucked the very soul from his helpless body. Soon, the world as he knew it no longer existed to him. With no control of which direction he was going, the turtle-turned-spirit felt himself traveling at an unbelievable speed through a spinning tunnel of radiant light. Where was he? Where was he going? Most importantly, where was his body? He attempted to walk, but there were no legs or feet to cause the act of motion. Next, he tried to lift a hand, but quickly realized he was missing all of his solid formation. This did not sit well with him in the slightest. Without hands, how could one give a really long lecture without gesturing, or how could one create some brand new invention? It became known to him that, although death is inevitable, it was going to be difficult to miss the things he did in life, and the people he loved.

As his weary essence continued onward, voices from other plains began calling out to him. He tried to call back, but no vocal cords meant his gift to speak had sadly turned mute. He felt lighter than air, a mere wisp of a soul moving forward to the next plain of existence. This couldn't be the end, not when there were tasks he still needed to finish on Earth!

At the end of the illuminated tunnel, the weightless ghost of a turtle floated out into a wide, open outer space full of glowing blue and white lights. Triangular-shaped beacons circled his spirit, beckoning him closer to the center of a large, starry sky until finally, a door appeared in the center. Before he could enter, a heavenly glow of an angel appeared and extended its arms as if trying to stop him. Donatello stared at its faceless expression, possibly feeling a great sympathy for him. The angel began to speak in a unisex tone of voice:

_"Come no further, it is not yet your time to pass through. Your friend needs you, and you alone have the ability to help her. A single obstacle stands in your way. All you need is..."_

The angel dropped lower and whispered a single word into what would have been the location of his ear. The word repeated itself deeply within as the form pushed him backwards through the tunnel of light and farther back down to where he first left the planet. Donatello blinked and slowly opened his eyes, staring up at the swirling fan in Roxanne's bedroom. The others must have moved him there for the time being. Was it all a dream, or did it really happen? Donatello sat up on the bed and looked to his hand, still feeling a hint of the electrical shock. Yes, it happened. An angel sent from Heaven had deemed him, of all God's creatures of the world, a second chance at life. He calmly squeezed his hand into a fist and flexed the sore muscles.

"That was trippie." He muttered to himself.

His family was not too far from him; he could hear their low voices coming from the hallway and office room. Some were sniffling while others were talking quietly about what to do next. With a painful groan, Donatello rose up from the bed and made his way over to the office, pausing when his youngest brother caught sight of him. _Here comes the hurricane,_ he thought to himself.

"Tell me I'm not seeing a ghost." Mike whispered with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"It's me, Mikey--"

"Don!!! You're alive!!!"

Michaelangelo ran over and rammed into his brother, squeezing his middle tightly. Donatello couldn't reprimand his brother; he perfectly understood how he felt. It wasn't long before the others heard the commotion and looked over to stare in disbelief.

"Don?" Leo squinted and swallowed a little while Raphael peeked his head from around his shoulder. Shadow had to grip the door frame for support. "How is this possible? You...you were dead!"

"Well, yeah, I was, but an angel sent me back because we have some unfinished business here and..." Don casually stated, but was cut off unexpectedly. A river effect soon took over as they came flooding out to embrace him and weep all over again, this time in tears of relief. "Whoa...guys, um...really, it's okay--"

"No, it's not." Mike leaned in to rest his head on Donatello's shoulder. "Jeez, Don, you died! It's not okay! Okay? No more dying on us and I mean it!"

"Heh...um, right." Don patted his shell and looked around to each of them. Among the sea of tears, he noticed Splinter was absent from the group. Leonardo informed him that he was downstairs in the living room, again trying to locate Roxanne. Just as those words left his mouth, the old rat appeared climbing up the staircase. "Sensei..." Splinter paused and blinked, wondering if his failing eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Donatello?"

Don shyly waved. "Yeah, it's me." Splinter reached his son, staring with a face that made Don crumble with sorrow. He watched him bow his head, say a silent prayer, and look back up with the tears shimmering in his eyes. Next, his heart nearly melted when Splinter wrapped his arms around his waist, embracing him softly. Don's lip trembled and he held in the sobs for as long as he could.

"Oh, my son...you really scared us all. I am so relieved to see you standing here..." Splinter cut off his own words and sighed with happiness. Leonardo and Raphael remained motionless while Michaelangelo and Shadow held each other, sniffing quietly. The six had to stand still for a good ten seconds of silence, just to know they were all alive and together once more. While Splinter felt his son should get some much needed rest, Donatello was more than eager to get a second crack at the computer.

"I can't rest now, not when I've got work to do."

"Work?" Raph asked as his brother stormed off to Roxanne's office, taking a seat at the computer desk. "Jeez, you're unbelievable. First, you get electrocuted, then you die on the floor, and now you're at the computer!"

"Some things never change." Mike mumbled with a smirk.

"Don, what are you doing? You don't have the..." Leo leaned in closer to the computer screen, watching him type in a single word for the password. It was all asterisk symbols, but once he hit the Enter key, Roxanne's computer was up and running. Donatello looked very pleased. "You got the password!"

"Yup." He said with a smile.

"But, how? Where--?"

"Well, it seems as though I stand corrected. After I was electrocuted, my soul left the planet and began its long journey through what is commonly known as the Tunnel of Passing." Everyone gawked at him as he lightly continued. "Before I could enter the gates of St. Peter's, an angel came to me and said it wasn't my time to go. It said I still needed to help Roxanne and it spoke of a single obstacle that is blocking our path. Even though I was nothing but a cloud of air, I heard that obstacle loud and clear, and it was the password!" He turned back to the screen and cracked his knuckles. "And now, I'm going to fight this bucket of bolts even if it kills me...again!"

Donatello ignored the looks on their faces and focused his attention to the screen, watching a blue prompt window appear. The title read AMBER v. 7.1B and the program began a series of installation checks:

Bio-Psi Technologies © 1996 . . . . . .  
Checking RAM . . . . . . . . . . OK  
Mouse Driver Installed  
Locating Headgear Unit . . . . . . . . OK  
Headgear Driver Installed BTA96.20  
Initializing Psi Particle Transducer . . . . OK

"Okay, so far so good." Don mumbled to the words as they disappeared up the screen. Everyone gathered closer as the words, "Bio-Psi Technologies Paratechnology Suite" appeared with the following options to select:

BAR Scan Crisis  
PeeK AMBER Exit

Please Select Desired Module or "Exit" to Quit

"Crisis?" Raph asked.

"Pick that one, Don. I'd say this is a crisis." Mike smirked.

"Wait." Don frowned as a red and white window popped up at them, blocking their view of the selection screen.

WARNING!  
Psionic fragments have been  
detected within the system...

Switching to Crisis  
Management Module

"Looks as though we were heading for the Crisis selection anyway." Don said as he watched a loading bar turn from white to gray. The next screen featured a picture of three white star-like sparks spinning around at their own leisure. The title above read:

Fragment Stabilization

"What do we do now?" Mike watched the fragments spin in one spot.

"There's some buttons to check over here." Don pointed to the right of the screen with the mouse cursor. The buttons read as followed:

Alignment  
remove constraints

Bias  
apply positional bias

"Let's remove the constraints and apply positional bias." Don put a check mark for both buttons. The fragments continued to spin on the left. "Now, to control them with these other buttons..." Next, he began a series of movement using the additional buttons to switch around the spinning fragments. There were two Alignment buttons and three Bias buttons to play with. The two Alignment buttons rotated the fragment's spin cycle either clockwise or counterclockwise. The three Bias buttons made the fragments themselves alter the course of their position, such as moving the right fragment to the bottom, the bottom fragment to the left, and the left fragment to the right, or vice versa.

Mike pulled back in puzzlement. "Is anyone lost yet?"

"The object of this is to stop them from spinning, meaning they all need to be..." A ding sound emerged from the screen. "Aligned perfectly." After much spinning and pushing buttons, the fragments stopped and stood to attention. Don grinned as a blue and white window popped up. "Awesome."

STAGE ONE COMPLETE  
Psionic fragments have been  
successfully stabilized.

System is now ready for  
re-entry algorithm.

"Algorithm?" Shadow quipped. "I've heard that word before."

"It means solving mathematical problems in a step-by-step procedure." Don clicked the 'Continue' button and watched a screen open with three columns and rows full of what appeared to be astronomical symbols. The title of this unusual window read:

ALGORITHM CONSTRUCTION

Instructions  
The psion which resulted from  
fragment stabilization is ready  
to re-enter the host body

Please construct a continuous  
algorithm for re-animation.

"Interesting." Don tapped his chin and stared at six arrow buttons, three to shuffle the symbols up, three to shuffle the symbols down. "Looks like we have to once again do some aligning, this time with these symbols."

"But, what do those symbols mean?" Raph asked with a frown. "They look like the designs of crop circles left by aliens."

Mike gave him a look. "I think you had Brice inside of you for way too long, bro!"

"Anything you want to know can be found in the manuals made by this company, Raph." Don eyed to him briefly. "Roxanne has done quite a lot of research on not just the paranormal, but also, the world of science and technology."

Raph squinted and pouted his lips. "Either you don't know the answer, or you just won't tell me."

"Oh, I know," Don said as he continued to shuffle the symbols, "I just didn't want to bore you with another long lecture."

"Mm, can't do much of anything right now, so...go ahead and bore me." Raph shrugged.

"Okay, a perfect example is the Internet. A dial-up user makes a connection by putting in a phone number and connecting to a different computer in some office building. All the data that gets transferred from one computer to the next is a bunch of codes unknown to someone who doesn't understand the language of computers. These symbols here are just like those same codes, except that they're a whole other language. We lost Roxanne within our world due to a fragmentation error from her software, and what this screen is telling us is the connection was somehow broken. Reconstructing these lines on the screen will fix the connection and quite possibly bring her back from wherever state of being she is currently dwelling." Don paused and looked up to him. "Have I bored you yet?"

"Immensely." Raph mumbled. Just as he turned away, he heard another beep sound emerge from the screen. "What'd you do now?" All six stared at the connected symbols and watched another blue and white window pop up.

STAGE TWO COMPLETE  
Re-entry algorithm has been  
successfully completed.

Place headgear on subject  
to be reanimated, then  
evacuate area immediately.

"Whoa, this is it guys," Don stared at the window, "AMBER is ready to bring back Roxanne!"

"But, evacuate the area?" Mike didn't like the sound of that, nor did anyone else.

"What's going to happen to her?" Shadow clutched her arms. "Will the headgear blow her up or something?"

"Only one way to find out is to test its real power." Don stood up and shut off the monitor, extending a hand to Shadow. She looked down to see he was holding AMBER. "Here." Shadow hesitated for a moment before taking it from him. "We can't be seen. You'll have to put it on Roxanne."

Shadow stared at it as if she was handed a time bomb. "I can't do this."

"You can do it." Don answered softly with a hand lifting her chin. "I know you can."

"Are you all right?" Mike asked in concern.

"Yeah, I just..." Shadow shrugged lightly, looking away. "I just wish none of this ever happened. I wish I never had to drive out here, lose my beloved car, and then endure all the stuff that went on at her house." Her eyes closed briefly; the nightmares were starting to return but she quickly reopened them. "I wish there was some way it would all go away, like magic--" A sudden zap of lightning flickered across the headset. Shadow squealed and dropped it to the ground with a harsh clank. "Eep! Whoa! What was that?"

"Heh, your wish being granted?" Mike smirked.

"If that's true, then why are we all still here?" Raph thwacked him. "Moron."

"AMBER can't grant wishes, Uncle Mike." Shadow said, rubbing her shaky hands. "Would be nice if it did, though." Donatello bent over to retrieve the fallen headset. Shadow edged away. "It doesn't like me, Uncle Don. Don't make me carry it."

"Come on." He slowly extended it to her. "It'll be fine. Like all creations, it probably still has a few glitches here and there."

Shadow took the headset again and gripped it tightly. She finally looked to all five of them with full confidence. "All right, fine. Let's do it."

Even though it was a very short walk, each step taken felt more agonizing then the last. Shadow led the way down the stairs, through the hallway and out the front door. Something different was going on and it wasn't good at all. Everyone paused to see the clouds swirl above in crazy patterns and those with hats had to grip them to their heads or else lose them in the fierce breezes. The wind almost had a mind of its own, trying to prevent them from reaching the garage door. Shadow held the headset close to her bosom as she stopped at the entrance to the garage. Including Donatello, no one was sure of what exactly would happen once she performed this one final task.

The inside of the garage was the same as before; the only difference now was the fierce winds shaking the walls with their powerful blows. Shadow suddenly felt as though she was on another plain of existence, a feeling as if she was no longer on solid ground. She could see the Turtles and Splinter behind her, but even they looked like distant shadows in the background. Gazing up to the loft, her heart sank a few notches. _This is it, don't get scared now._

Shadow began to climb the rickety stairs, hearing them creak and groan on each step. She looked down briefly to see them watching her, nodding with encouragement to move forward. Every step she took closer to Roxanne, they took a step closer to the exit.

With AMBER clutched against her fast-beating heart, Shadow paused on the top step and gazed over at the lifeless body of her boss. Swallowing a thick chunk of saliva, she carefully knelt down and removed the old headset from her forehead, slipping the new one on with ease. She remembered she had to evacuate the area, but the headset was already working too soon. Before she could stand up, volts of electricity started to shoot out from the headset and all around Roxanne's forehead. Shadow immediately thought of when Donatello was electrocuted and went to retrieve it.

"Oh, my God, no--"

"No, don't!" A hand reached out to stop her and pull her away. Shadow looked up to see Don standing there with a slight pant from running up the stairs. She went to speak, but he grabbed her instead, pushing her forward to the stairs. "Come on, we have to get out of here!" Shadow looked all around as the garage started to shake worse than before and a strange howling sound emerged from all corners of the room. The others were already out the door and waiting safely next to the house.

Once outside, she paused to take a breath, but Donatello continued to push her as far away as possible. Shadow finally stopped next to the steps of the house and turned around, watching blue sparks shoot out from the door and then, the garage doors burst into a gigantic ball of flames. Shadow hid her face as the fire and pieces of burnt wood spewed out in every direction. She scanned around the area, noticing she was by herself...for a few seconds. Walking out from the wreckage appeared a dazed person shaking their head and looking puzzled.

"R--Roxanne?" She must have escaped another way. But, how did she survive the explosion? Shadow stared at her with eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Huh, that was a close call!" Roxanne said with a puff as she removed the headset, shaking her frizzed hair. "Thought I was lost that time! Those re-entry algorithms could use a bit of tweaking. Anyway, thanks for the save." Shadow smiled briefly as Roxanne glanced to the house. "Is everything here all right? Equipment seemed to work okay all and all! Seems like we made it through the trial."

"Barely, I would say." Shadow rolled her eyes. "What about the headset? Is it okay?"

"Oh!" Roxanne lifted the smoking headset with excitement. "We need to get this data to the lab as soon as possible! Where'd you park your car?" Shadow sighed and looked over to the lake. As if it wasn't before, she could see it was going to be a very long night.

"Come with me in the house, Roxy. We need to have a little talk about that."

* * *

That's it! The game is over! Yet! I still have some tricks up my sleeve to give this story an alternate ending. Stay tuned and thanks SO much for your patience!


End file.
